Impact of climate change on UAE coastal cities
Assignment Instructions: Report Writing on Impact of climate change on UAE coastal cities Assignment 15 Academic Orientation and Submission Conditions This assessment represents the sole evaluated component for this module (Impact of climate change) and carries the full weighting of the final grade. Submissions that arrive after the stated deadline cannot be considered, as the learning outcomes are tied closely to timely engagement with evolving climate data and policy discourse. All work must be uploaded through the designated Turnitin portal. Alternative formats or delivery methods are not supported within this assessment cycle. Your submission should identify you only through your Student Reference Number (SRN); personal identifiers have no place in academic evaluation. The expected length of the work is 2,000 to 2,500 words. Writing below this range often limits analytical depth, while exceeding it tends to dilute conceptual clarity. Assessment is marked out of 100, with a minimum threshold of 50 marks required to demonstrate satisfactory achievement. Scholarly integrity is non-negotiable. Harvard referencing must be applied consistently across in-text citations, data sources, policy documents, and visual materials. Unsupported claims or unattributed material will be treated as academic misconduct. AI-based tools may assist with language refinement, but intellectual framing, analysis, and interpretation must remain your own. Framing the Inquiry: Why UAE Coastal Cities Matter Situating the Topic Within the Emirates The United Arab Emirates is defined by its coastline. Cities such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Fujairah are not only economic centres but also ecological interfaces where urban ambition meets marine vulnerability. Rising sea levels, increased surface temperatures, coastal erosion, salinity intrusion, and extreme weather events are no longer abstract projections; they are shaping planning conversations across the Emirates today. This assignment invites you to examine climate change not as a distant environmental issue, but as a force actively reshaping urban life, infrastructure resilience, economic continuity, and social wellbeing along the UAE’s coast. Your task is to explore how climate pressures interact with development patterns, governance choices, and sustainability strategies specific to the national context. Rather than producing a descriptive environmental report, you are expected to engage with climate change as a systems-level challenge, one that links science, urban policy, coastal engineering, public health, and long-term national vision. Learning Intent and Intellectual Direction Through this work, you should demonstrate your ability to: Construct a focused academic investigation grounded in regional environmental realities Interpret climate-related risks using credible secondary data and peer-reviewed research Examine how environmental stressors affect diverse stakeholder groups within coastal cities Integrate climate science with urban planning, economic resilience, and policy frameworks Develop context-sensitive responses aligned with UAE sustainability agendas This assignment values reasoned judgement over volume of information. Strong submissions will show awareness of uncertainty, competing perspectives, and the limits of existing data, particularly in rapidly urbanising coastal zones. Core Components of the Submission Analytical Overview (Executive Synthesis) Prepare a concise but substantial synthesis (approximately 400 to 500 words) that captures the essence of your entire study. This section should be written last, once your analysis has matured. An effective synthesis will briefly outline: The specific coastal cities or zones examined The primary climate stressors under consideration Key insights drawn from data analysis The broader implications for urban sustainability in the UAE The direction of your proposed responses or strategic insights This is not a summary of sections but a coherent narrative of your thinking. Mapping the Environmental Pressure Landscape Identifying Climate Stressors Along the Coast This section should establish the environmental conditions shaping UAE coastal vulnerability. You may focus on factors such as sea-level rise projections, temperature escalation, coastal flooding, marine ecosystem degradation, or storm surge risks. Use recent secondary sources, scientific reports, regional climate models, UAE government publications, to demonstrate how these stressors are evolving. Where possible, distinguish between long-term trends and near-term risks. Rather than listing impacts, explore how these forces interact. For example, how does rising sea temperature affect coastal biodiversity, and what does that mean for fisheries, tourism, or food security? Urban Exposure and Development Patterns How Coastal Cities Experience Climate Risk Here, turn your attention to the built environment. UAE coastal cities are characterised by dense infrastructure, reclaimed land, high-value real estate, ports, and transport corridors. Analyse how climate stress intersects with: Urban design and land reclamation Housing density and vertical development Transport and logistics infrastructure Energy and water systems You may draw comparisons between cities or focus on a single urban area as a case study. The aim is to show how development choices amplify or reduce climate vulnerability. Human and Institutional Dimensions Stakeholders Living With the Consequences Climate change affects people unevenly. In this section, consider how different groups experience coastal climate impacts. Possible stakeholder perspectives include: Residents in low-lying neighbourhoods Migrant and outdoor workers exposed to heat stress Municipal authorities and urban planners Businesses dependent on coastal stability Public health systems responding to climate-linked risks Demonstrate awareness that climate resilience is as much a social and governance issue as it is an environmental one. Interpreting Evidence Through Theory and Models Making Sense of Secondary Data This section forms the analytical core of the assignment. Engage critically with secondary data using relevant frameworks such as climate adaptation theory, urban resilience models, or sustainability transition concepts. You may compare: Global climate models versus regional projections International coastal adaptation strategies versus UAE approaches Short-term mitigation efforts versus long-term resilience planning Acknowledge limitations in available data, especially where projections vary or where regional specificity is still developing. Strategic Responses and Adaptive Pathways What Can Coastal Cities Do Next? Drawing on your analysis, outline informed and realistic response pathways. These may include: Nature-based coastal protection strategies Climate-sensitive urban planning Policy integration with UAE Vision and Net Zero initiatives Public awareness and behavioural adaptation Investment in climate-resilient infrastructure Your discussion should remain analytical rather than prescriptive, showing why certain approaches are suitable for the UAE context. Drawing Meaning From the Analysis Integrating Environmental Insight With Urban Futures Conclude by reflecting on what your findings suggest about the impact of climate change and future … Read more