Abu Dhabi sets a green example

Abu Dhabi might be one of the most oil-rich cities in the world, but that's not stopping its government from going green.

According to a recent article in Gulf News, the government-run Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) is launching a $5 billion initiative to develop a six square-kilometer carbon neutral, waste-free "green city" by 2009. The city is also developing a 100-megawatt solar power plant that could be expanded to power 500,000 homes.

This news comes on the tail of the newest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which predicts that temperatures in the Middle East will rise by up to two degrees celcius by 2030.

The article quotes Masdar's CEO, Sultan Al Jaber, who said, "What we are trying to do is to set an example not only in the region, but worldwide, for other nations to follow."