Dubai conference to address problems of growing cities

DUBAI // Four hundred government representatives will convene at the Future Cities Conference in Dubai next week to share solutions to the problems posed by a growing metropolis.

Delegates from 30 countries will discuss their achievements in maintaining sustainable growth.

"We gained a lot of very valuable information from last year's event, much of which we are still studying and looking at implementing," said Hussain Lootah, director general of Dubai Municipality, the event's host. "One of the studies we implemented was to efficiently use water in irrigation techniques around the city."

Future Cities will run alongside the Cityscape event at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre from October 2-4.

Attendees include Dr Hani Mohammad Ahmad AbuRas, head of Jeddah Municipality in Saudi Arabia, who will discuss the city's 2030 vision.

Lisa Scaffidi, mayor of Perth, Australia, will address the challenges of providing jobs and housing for a growing population while protecting the area's natural environments and resources.

Dubai is a fitting location for the event. Six years ago, during the peak of its construction boom, the city was thought to be the fastest-growing in the world.

"For Dubai, keeping on track with the requirements of a growing city is a big challenge," said Mr Lootah. "We look forward to welcoming mayors, administrators and urban planners from across the world."