Al Marjan Island - En bærekraftig utvikling i et voksende Emirat?

Abstract

Al Marjan Island (AMI) is new project in the United Arab Emirates, located in the Emirate -Ras al Khaimah (RAK) North-East for the Emirates –Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The project will be finished in the year 2025 and are made up by 4 coral-shaped man made islands, from the shoreline of RAK and stretches 4.5 km out in the Persian Gulf. Every year the project will approximately have 1 million visitors and tourists, in an Emirate who only have 300 000 inhabitants in the more central areas. New city development plans for RAK have been tried to fulfilled the wishes and visions from Sheik Saud bin Saqr al Qasimi and his father from 70`s and until this day. Some of the older city development plans stands today unfinished, as a result of financial crisis and a lack of funds to finish the ambition development projects. AMI is a new project with wishes and visions from Sheik Al Qasimi to develop RAK to a stronger economic Emirate, and to improve the living condition for the inhabitants of RAK. This is being done with tax free zones for companies to establish their offices in RAK, and by develop the Emirate to a preferably destination for tourist. It is in the tourist division that AMI will try to constitute a difference for the Emirate. The research questions for the master thesis will be divided in 4 different questions; 1. How do RAK develop a project like AMI in the Middle East? 2. Why are AMI being built? 3. Are the development of AMI sustainable up against UN`s sustainable goals? 4. How big Co2 questions are linked to the consumption and use of AMI? Based on the research questions, the thesis will try to underline the real Co2 emission linked to AMI and how the project can be a sustainable city development in a new rising Emirate in the United Arab Emirate, based on high ambitions and on economics and investors.