| Dubai has rapidly risen through the | | | | Umm Suqeim beach, which has many houses |
| ranks to become one of the world's top | | | | behind it under real threat from the |
| tourist destinations thanks to a number | | | | coastal erosion. As well as the groynes, |
| of diverse factors, not least of which | | | | sand is being deposited by engineers as |
| includes a recent and sustained period | | | | quickly as it is being washed away by |
| of heavy investment in the construction | | | | the seas with over 500,000 cubic metres |
| of residential, holiday and commercial | | | | poured on existing beaches by the |
| properties in the Emirate. | | | | coastal management department. |
| As well as the intensive building | | | | The Dubai coastal zone stretches from |
| programme, Dubai has also invested | | | | the Abu Dhabi border in the south to the |
| heavily in ensuring that the | | | | Emirate of Sharjah in the north, passing |
| infrastructure is in place to match | | | | through the City of Dubai, and it is |
| their lofty construction ambitions. The | | | | this entire stretch of approximately 70 |
| government's strategic approach ensures | | | | kilometres that is under observation by |
| that they never take their eye off the | | | | the engineers. But, as they point out |
| ball and pay attention to every detail; | | | | the erosion is nothing new, it has |
| nothing is overlooked and that includes | | | | always affected the Dubai coast. |
| the beaches. | | | | However, due to the massive programme of |
| Dubai's beaches and parks offer a | | | | construction that has seen many new |
| diverse range of recreational and | | | | properties being built close to the sea, |
| leisure activities, and prove a big draw | | | | it is now becoming a threat to those |
| for the millions of tourists that visit | | | | hotels, houses and holiday homes. |
| every year. However, coastal erosion is | | | | Indeed, another concern of the engineers |
| a real problem in Dubai as the sea is | | | | is that the building of the mega |
| eating away almost 50 metres of beach | | | | projects off the coast of Dubai, such as |
| every two years, according to figures | | | | The World, are actually increasing the |
| collected by engineers at the Coastal | | | | effect of the onshore erosion. They are |
| Management Section of Dubai | | | | calling for any development, whether it |
| Municipality. This has prompted the | | | | is a one-off new luxury beach hotel in |
| development of a new mission to protect | | | | Dubai or a mega project built off-shore |
| the Persian Gulf shore and the | | | | to be assessed for its likely impact on |
| subsequent buildings behind it by the | | | | the region's beaches. As they point out, |
| specialist government department. | | | | the beaches are one of the major reasons |
| Five-tonne bags of sand have been | | | | why millions of tourists are flocking to |
| strategically positioned 100 metres from | | | | the region in the first place, so they |
| the shore in a protective arc known as a | | | | should ensure that further development |
| groyne to prevent the destruction of the | | | | does not affect them too adversely. |