Emirates plans to shrink Carbon Footprint

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES -- This Persian Gulf desert nation, one of the world's most environmentally unfriendly with its ubiquitous air conditioning, swimming pools and sport utility vehicles, may be looking to redeem itself. It has begun building what it calls the world's first zero-carbon city.

Environmentalists say the new city -- which will recycle waste and water and be powered mainly by solar energy -- is a nice idea, but the Emirates shouldn't stop there.
The United Arab Emirates has the world's largest per-capita ecological footprint, according to the fund's report. That means the average resident uses more resources than people of any other nation.

A glance at Dubai makes it clear why. Nearly every indoor space -- including the sprawling malls and giant villas -- is air conditioned, which is seen as a necessity in a country where the winters are hot and the summers blazing. Extravagances like swimming pools with chilled water, an indoor ski slope that produces snow when it's 120 degrees outside and an all-ice restaurant push up the electricity bill. The usual mode of transport is SUV or Hummer -- there is no public transportation.