Sustainability Spectacle in the Gulf

The Gulf states have become home to many spectacular environmental sustainability projects, ranging from new infrastructure like solar parks and green cities to global events like the COP28 climate talks in Dubai. These projects are designed to be visually impressive and to illustrate the Gulf commitment to building a post-oil “green” future. Increasingly used to promote nationalist pride among Gulf citizens, symbols of green modernity are also used to recruit valuable knowledge workers to the region. Yet sustainability spectacle ultimately obscures Gulf state leaders’ refusal to shift their economies and political systems away from fossil fuels, while simultaneously justifying yet more unsustainable development—just with a new green label.