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The Smart City of Dubai

Realizing the need for sustainable development, Vice-President of UAE Sheikh

Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum initiated a campaign in 2014 to transform Dubai into a

smart city. A smart city tackles challenges elicited by urbanization such as population growth,

unplanned housing, use of non-renewable resources for energy, and traffic congestion. Thus,

initiatives and policies were established to bring change in the different sectors of development

using big data, block chain technology, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). The city is already in the

midst of the transformation as it ranked 45th in the Smart City Index 2019, ahead of Tokyo and

Paris (Serkal). However, Dubai can be the smartest and best city in the world by further

embracing sustainability and integrating technology to ameliorate the quality of life. Dubai’s

officials must educate and encourage the people to use the existing technologies, maintain

government transparency, and introduce campaigns to reduce the city’s carbon footprint.

Educating and encouraging the people of Dubai to use smart technologies will foster the

smartness index of the city. Autonomous vehicles, solar parks, and a cashless economy are

prominent technological advancements of the last decade in Dubai. Sheikh Mohammed Rashid’s

administration along with public and private sectors has launched campaigns to improve the six

dimensions of a smart city. For instance, the city has made progress in building smart systems,

which include smart parking and taxi that offer basic tracking and paying services (Khan et al.).

Moreover, the city is reaching global standards of information and communication technology.
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Virtual Nol cards will enable people to pay for their journeys on public buses and the metro

using their phones (“Virtual Nol card”). However, the technology will be rendered useless if the

people are unaware and uneducated about using them. Development is the key component of a

smart city but its inhabitants are the proponents. The technologically-enabled smart city of the

future will not achieve sustained prosperity if its people are not smart (Tonar and Talton). Thus,

the government must direct the people to capitalize on the opportunities, efficiencies, and

accessibility created by smart technology. This can be achieved by integrating technology into

the academic curriculum, fostering a technically-adept workplace environment, and further

educating civilians through digital platforms.

Government transparency will also encourage people to adopt smart technology. The

biggest threat posed by the components of a smart city is privacy. The technology will challenge

existing social, economic, and legal norms and raise a variety of safety concerns (Thierer 2).

Integrating Internet of Things (IoT) or ubiquitous computing entails digitalization of the people’s

day-to-day activities. Sensors are attached to real world objects such as roads, cars, electricity

meters, and even domestic appliances which connect these objects to digital networks (Edwards

4). This increases the possibility of security breaches and in turn, deters people from using the

available technology. Thus, the government and involved sectors must ensure the people that

their data are immune to security risks. Furthermore, they should implement policies that bolster

IoT security, acknowledge people’s concerns over privacy, and prove transparency in data

collection.

The reduction of carbon footprint will be crucial for Dubai to be regarded the best city in

the world. The city’s effect on the environment reflects its infrastructural development and

people’s quality of life. The Smart City Index also judges a city on the basis of its impact on the
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environment. Thus, reducing carbon emissions and switching to renewable sources is pivotal for

Dubai. UAE has consistently ranked as having one of the highest annual carbon dioxide

emissions per capita (Kadhim 36). However, Sheikh Mohammad Rashid vowed to make Dubai a

green city by 2050. He decreed that 75 percent of the city’s energy will come from clean sources

by 2050 (Kunzig). The Clean Energy Strategy 2050 was launched to propel this cause which

entails the abandonment of fossil fuels. The implementation of the strategy will play a key role in

reducing the city’s carbon footprint.

A smart city requires the implementation of technology in the different sectors of

development. Dubai has made rapid technological advancements as part of the city’s strategy to

transform it into a smart city. However, there are still areas to improve and develop. The

concerned authorities must encourage its people to use the existing technology, show

transparency in data collection and security, and shift to renewable sources of energy to excel in

the Smart City Index.

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Works Cited

Edwards, Lilian. "Privacy, Security and Data Protection in Smart Cities: A Critical EU Law

Perspective." SSRN Electronic Journal, 2016, papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?

abstract_id=2711290.

Kadhim, Wasnaa. "Case Study of Dubai as a Smart City." International Journal of Computer

Applications 178.40 (2019): 35-37. Print.

Khan, M. et al. "Smart City and Smart Tourism: A Case Of Dubai." Sustainability, vol. 9, no. 12,

2017, www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/9/12/2279/htm. Accessed 16 August 2020.

Kunzig, Robert. "The World's Most Improbable Green City." National Geographic. N.p., 27 July

2017. Web. 16 Aug. 2020. www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/urban-

expeditions/green-buildings/dubai-ecological-footprint-sustainable-urban-city/&gt

Serkal, Mariam. "Revealed: Dubai, Abu Dhabi Beat Paris and Tokyo as Smartest Cities in The

World." Gulfnews.com, 2019, gulfnews.com/uae/revealed-dubai-abu-dhabi-beat-paris-

and-tokyo-as-smartest-cities-in-the-world-1.1570347710816. Accessed 16 August 2020.

Talton, Remington Tonar and Ellis. "Smart Cities Are Built By Smart People, Not Smart

Things." 2019, www.forbes.com/sites/ellistalton/2019/07/09/smart-cities-are-built-by-

smart-people-not-smart-things/#57bd88475d62. Accessed 16 August. 2020.

Thierer, Adam D. "The Internet of Things & Wearable Technology: Addressing Privacy

& Security Concerns Without Derailing Innovation." SSRN Electronic Journal,

2014, papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2494382

"Virtual Nol Card: You Will Soon Be Able to Use Mobile Phones to Pay for Public Transport in

Dubai." Virtual Nol Card. Gulf News, 06 Oct. 2019. Web. 16 Aug. 2020.
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gulfnews.com/uae/virtual-nol-card-you-will-soon-be-able-to-use-mobile-phones-to-pay-

for-public-transport-in-dubai-1.66948186&gt