Towards a new paradigm in environmental policy development in high-income developing countries: The case of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

This paper evaluates the applicability of international environmental policy guidelines and prevalent strategic, project and action-based models and typologies in the context of high-income developing countries, particularly in their impact on the private business community. Utilizing the case of Abu Dhabi, the paper argues the need for adoption of a new approach to environmental planning in developing countries, recognizing their developmental and income levels, that may allow greater flexibility in adoption and application of policies driven by internal needs and dynamics, rather than imposed as part of financial donor packages by international agencies. The paper adapts existing theories on ecological modernization and institutional analysis to develop a bespoke conceptual tool to examine the relationship between economic development and environmental protection in Abu Dhabi, with more general application to both developing and developed economies.