Video: 60% of Dubai to be nature reserves, says Sheikh Mohammed

Dubai - He posts stunning photos of green havens in Dubai, as urban plan to make city the world's best is announced.

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Photos: Sheikh Mohammed/Twitter
Photos: Sheikh Mohammed/Twitter
Photos: Sheikh Mohammed/Twitter
Photos: Sheikh Mohammed/Twitter
Photos: Sheikh Mohammed/Twitter
Photos: Sheikh Mohammed/Twitter

Published: Sun 14 Mar 2021, 4:10 AM

A grand plan that will transform Dubai into the world’s best city to live and work in has been launched.

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Public beaches will be extended by 400 per cent, while wildlife sanctuaries and natural rural areas will constitute 60 per cent of the total area of the Emirate.

DON'T MISS: Photos: Stunningly green Dubai; what city looks like in 20 years


The Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan will see the area used for hotels and tourist activities increase by 134 per cent. The area allocated for commercial activities will expand to 168 square kilometres.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched the plan that maps out a comprehensive future map for sustainable urban development in the city.

The “people-centric” plan focuses on reinforcing Dubai’s competitiveness as a global destination by providing a wide diversity of lifestyle and investment opportunities for citizens, residents and visitors over the next 20 years.

It aims to realise Sheikh Mohammed’s vision to make Dubai the city with the world’s best quality of life.

Growth rooted in sustainability

Under the plan, green and recreational spaces will double in size.

Several green corridors will be established to link the service areas, residential areas and workplaces; and facilitate the movement of pedestrians, bicycles, and sustainable mobility means across the city.

The master plan will also increase the land area allocated to education and health facilities by 25 per cent.

Development since the 1960s

Sheikh Mohammed said the “visionary development journey” started by the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum in the 1960s continues to guide Dubai’s evolution. The city promotes the “greatest human values and possibilities and an environment where people from around the world can thrive”.

“Drawing inspiration from global best practices and adapting them to local needs and requirements, we have created a development model that offers the best possible quality of life and creates the conditions for sustainable prosperity. Our goal is to create a truly inclusive environment that not only meets the needs of Dubai’s diverse population, but also inspires them to tap into their creative and innovative capacities and realise their true potential," said Sheikh Mohammed.

“By constantly striving to raise benchmarks and implementing diligent strategic planning, we have joined the ranks of the world’s leaders in various spheres and sectors. With a clear vision and a deep understanding of what it takes to succeed in an evolving global environment, we continue to work to shape an even greater future rich with opportunities,” Sheikh Mohammed added.

The new master plan is the seventh such plan developed for the emirate since 1960. The population of Dubai has multiplied 80 times from 40,000 in 1960 to 3.3 million by the end of 2020.

The urban and built area of the emirate increased 170-fold.


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