Dubai Municipality launches Future Foresight Plan

Dubai Municipality has announced the launch of its Future Foresight Plan which provides a roadmap for imagining, designing and building the emirate’s future through municipal work. The plan is part of the municipality’s scope to create a sustainable, leading city of the future where quality of life is unparalleled.

The plan aims to position Dubai as a leader in innovation, societal well-being, and urban development. It seeks to leverage technology and societal development to create a vibrant and resilient urban environment powered by renewable energy and prioritizing sustainable urban development and expanding green spaces. This plan will enable sustainable infrastructure, crisis resilience and enhanced quality of life.

Dubai Municipality's Future Foresight Plan is based on three themes: Revitalizing urban spaces for enhanced livability, advancing sustainable infrastructure, and promoting health and wellness. The first theme covers key factors including: developing a smart green city and addressing climate change; The second theme includes factors based on digitisation of sewage and waste, future of building, and future of water and waste journey. While the third theme is built on improving air quality, noise quality, environmental monitoring, food security, as well as health and safety.

To implement the plan Dubai Municipality signed several memoranda of understanding during the Future Foresight Forum. This included partnerships with the Museum of the Future and the Mohammed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence in addition to private sector organizations.

Dubai Municipality also announced the launch of a programme for projects that align with its plan to build a futuristic urban environment. The City Future Lab initiative will encourage companies to adopt and experiment with future solutions.

Dawoud Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality, said: “Dubai Municipality provides 60% of Dubai’s services through 14 sectors and more than 160 services. Its Future Foresight Plan is a major milestone in achieving the municipality’s vision not just for a global city. But also, for making Dubai leading city of the future, especially in community empowerment, economic resilience, development, sustainable use of resources, and quality of life. This vision is in line with Dubai Municipality’s values of proactivity, positivity, competitiveness, and collaboration.”

Al Hajri added: “In the words of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai: the future isn't something you await, but rather create. Based on this vision, our foresight strategy aims to design sustainable, human-centric communities in line with our mission.”

The municipality’s future foresight plan, which includes 120 projects, was designed according to the best international practices in future foresight. The plan will be developed based on four strategic foresight enablers including: strategic partnerships, talents and skills, advanced technology, strategic approach and planning, and finance and operations.

Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of the Dubai Future Foundation, said: “Dubai's commitment to shaping the future is a continuous journey that has established it as a leading city of tomorrow. We catalyse this ambition through strategic partnerships across government and private sectors, all united in actualising the Dubai leadership’s vision that embodies principles of excellence, innovation, and consistent growth. By proactively identifying challenges and transforming them into opportunities, we ensure that Dubai maintains its position as a global epicentre for foresight and future design. Our approach is not just about adapting to change but leading it, setting new benchmarks in how cities can innovate and evolve to meet the demands of the future."

He added: "We are proud that Dubai's commitment to foresight is deeply embedded within both the government and the private sector. Together, we are collaboratively imagining, designing, and executing a sustainable future. Our approach includes providing innovative foresight initiatives and programmes, as well as becoming a global platform that brings together talented individuals, experts across various sectors, and futurists dedicated to shaping tomorrow."

Dubai Municipality designed its strategy with the support of the integrated future foresight system provided by the Dubai Future Foundation. It comprises initiatives including the annual 50 Global Opportunities Report and Dubai Future Labs, where the private sector, experts and entrepreneurs cooperate to create proactive solutions to future challenges.

WAM