Desert Green

Guess who's building a green city? Well, to build a city -- from scratch -- needs loads of cash and an autocracy. A western democracy and industrialized nation could never pull it off, as the many self-serving interests and pork would choke the attempt. There wouldn't be any interest anyway -- we're too vested in the status quo to make the investment. To pull off such an audacious goal, you must have the need buy your praises. There are only a few places in the world where that could happen. Booming China, and the oil rich Middle East. China is already terraforming its past in its race to modernize -- and are even pursuing some environmentally respectable city plans. To go fully green though, you'd have to go to the Middle East -- Abu Dhabi to be exact.

Plans are in place to raise a zero-emission city from the desert sands of Abu Dhabi by 2016, with limited occupancy for some of the planned 100,000 residents available by 2009. Masdar City will embrace renewable and sustainable energy like there will be a tomorrow, without oil. The city will rely on wind and solar power for electricity and a desalination plant to supply fresh water. There will be no cars in the city, and factories in the city may rely on biofuels. One of the first buildings to be set up in the city will be a university that will focus on sustainability studies. The goal is to develop local talent to build out and sustain the city.

That's forward thinking. Hopefully this will inspire social change as well.