We’d Need Five Worlds to Live Like the United Arab Emirates

uae-footprint-infographic-unsustainableIf we all lived like the citizens of the UAE, we would need 5.4 planet earths to sustain us…

Sometimes the best way to say something is not with words but images. And there is truly no better wake up call to the UAE than this amazing infographic designed by Tim De Chant. It shows that if the world’s 7 billion people all lived like Emiratis, we would need 5.4 planet earths in terms of land to sustain us. That’s pretty scary – especially when you consider that the much-bemoaned lifestyle of the Chinese is, in contrast, pretty sustainable and would require only an extra 10% of planet earth. It’s also scary as the UAE doesn’t have the world’s largest carbon footprint, that particular privilege goes to Qatar.

::Thanks to Tim for granting us permission to use the infographic. See his website per square mile for more.

For more on the UAE and the environment see:
UAE Stands By Its Nuclear Plans
Qatar (Still) Has The World’s Largest Carbon Footprint
World Population Hits 7 Billion Today

Arwa Aburawa
Arwa Aburawahttp://www.greenprophet.com
Arwa is a Muslim freelance writer who is interested in everything climate change related and how Islam can inspire more people to care for their planet and take active steps to save it while we can. She is endlessly suspicious of all politicians and their ceaseless meetings, especially as they make normal people believe that they are not part of the solution when they are the ONLY solution. Her Indian auntie is her model eco-warrier, and when Arwa is not busy helping out in the neighborhood alleyway garden, swap shopping or attempting fusion vegetarian dishes- with mixed success, she’d like to add- she can be found sipping on foraged nettle tea.
2 COMMENTS
  1. Interesting! What about Saudi Arabia living style comparison?
    Is there an inforgraphic for it, too? Appreciate your response!

    Best regards,
    Ayoob

  2. Arwa, great graphic!

    Any clue how tiny Costa Rica (with it’s rainforests, ecotourism, agriculture) got into the mix?

Comments are closed.

TRENDING

Eco organization offices destroyed by Iran missile

Tel Aviv's eco organization, the Heschel Center, was impacted by an Iranian missile.

BM Studios is designing systems, not just buildings in the UAE

Balsam Madi is an architect and systems thinker whose work bridges culture, sustainability, and design intelligence across the Middle East and Europe.

How you create green steel on a blockchain

The thing about raw materials is that once they are melted down, you can't prove the source of the material. Same is true with gold, cucumbers and even forged products that look the same as the real thing. When it comes to steel, and how we produce it, it has a massive carbon problem. What's happening in Japan right now could change how we think about heavy industry and climate action.

Qatar’s climate hypocrisy rides the London Underground

Qatar remains a master of doublethink—burning gas by the megaton while selling “sustainability” to a world desperate for clean air. Wake up from your slumber people.

Inflatable concrete homes: a California and Ontario case study

Across Ontario and California, builders are rethinking concrete housing through inflatable-shell design—an approach that replaces wooden formwork with air and innovation. A 1,000-square-foot low-carbon concrete shell, insulated with hempcrete, can be erected in a day and cost far less than conventional construction. Over time, the savings in energy, materials, and mortgage costs make this model a realistic response to rising living expenses and climate stress. With low-carbon cement, hempcrete walls, and renewable energy, inflatable concrete homes show how even the world’s most carbon-heavy material can become part of a sustainable future—if built smartly, and within local building codes.

Should You Invest in the Private Market?

startustartup Unlike public stock exchanges, which offer daily trading, strict...

How to build a 100-year-company

Kongō Gumi is a Japanese construction company, purportedly founded in 578 A.D., making it the world's oldest documented company. What can we learn about building sustainable businesses from them?

From Pilot Plant to Global Stage: How Aduro Clean Technologies’ 2026 Expansion Signals a Turning Point for Chemical Recycling Investors Like Yazan Al Homsi

The company's Next Generation Process (NGP) Pilot Plant in London, Ontario, has officially moved into initial operating campaigns, generating the kind of structured, repeatable data that separates laboratory promise from commercial viability.

How AI Helps SaaS Companies Reduce Repetitive Customer Support Work

SaaS products are designed for large numbers of users with different levels of experience, and also in renewable energy.

Pulling Water from the Air

Faced with water shortage in Amman, Laurie digs up...

Turning Your Energy Consultancy into an LLC: 4 Legal Steps for Founders in Texas

If you are starting a renewable energy business in Texas, learn how to start an LLC by the books.

Tracking the Impacts of a Hydroelectric Dam Along the Tigris River

For the next two months, I'll be taking a break from my usual Green Prophet posts to report on a transnational environmental issue: the Ilısu Dam currently under construction in Turkey, and the ways it will transform life along the Tigris River.

6 Payment Processors With the Fastest Onboarding for SMBs

Get your SMB up and running fast with these 6 payment processors. Compare the quickest onboarding options to start accepting customer payments without delay.

Related Articles

Popular Categories