1. Introduction The past two decades have witnessed a shift in the strategies of governments in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) from the establishment of sound infrastructure projects and state building into the exploitation of natural resources to achieve sustainable development. This is reflected in the economic, environmental, and social aspects of policymaking in the region. This chapter addresses the issue of sustainable development (SD) in the context of the UAE, and demonstrates the relentless efforts the government has made to “sustain” its economic, environmental, and social growth. It argues that while the UAE has made noticeable progress in achieving its sustainability objectives, and is in the right direction towards its 2021 vision, it still faces numerous mounting challenges before it can boast the success of its SD initiatives.

One of the main challenges that face academics, scholars and practitioners studying SD is to provide a specific definition of this term. Currently there is no consensus on its definition as it consists of numerous interrelated fields like economic, social, and environmental sciences” (Ciegis, et al. 2009). The term first appeared in the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) 1987 report that describes SD as an approach that “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (1987). The Brundtland report (1987) argued that SD should meet “the needs of the present generations without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs, in the fields of environmental protection, economic growth and social equity” (as cited in ICTI, p. 78). The UN Commission on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) provides a relatively similar definition of SD and stresses the significance of economic and social aspects of human life by stating that: “sustainable development must overcome its environmental degradation, but it must do so without forgoing the needs of economic development, social equality and justice.” According to the definition given by neoclassical economists, SD is the “efficient use of natural resources,” in a manner that reduces their negative impact on the environment (Rennings & Wiggering, 1997). The social dimension of sustainability; however, focuses more on growth rather than development which is the case with the economic approach towards sustainability (Lele 1991).