With four fifths of its area covered in endless, barren deserts, sustainable use of natural resources becomes a necessity, rather than a luxury, for the Middle East. While the region is rich with fossil fuels, it is among the driest places in the world. The water scarcity and booming population growth mean that lifestyle changes are inevitable.

There are several projects springing up around the region that are trying to address some of these issue. Perhaps the best known is Masdar city, on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi in the UAE, which is planned to be the world’s first zero-carbon zero-waste city, housing 50,000 people in homes and businesses. The same minds behind Masdar announced they plan to have another ecological city on the outskirts of Amman, Jordan, that will house up to one million people (although it will not be zero-carbon like Masdar). And most recently, the Egyptian Minister of Electricity and Energy, speaking at the World Future Energy Summit, announced that 20 percent of Egypt’s energy will come from wind and solar energy by 2020. This ambitious target would make the country the region’s leader in renewable energy use.

However, the lifestyle changes are easier said than done. In households in the richer, oil-producing Gulf states, energy conservation is not an issue to bother about. Inefficient air conditioning systems, oil hungry SUV’s, and non-biodegradable plastic bags are widespread.

All these wonderful initiatives are little more than show if they are not accompanied by extensive education of citizens on how – and why – they need to conserve energy and aim for a more sustainable lifestyle.

The Middle East wants to become a model of sustainable development and that is doable. But you cannot miss the role of money in this development. When a project such as Masdar has a budget of USD22 billion, it is hard to be labelled as sustainable, let alone model fro others to emulate. Most developing countries around the world cannot develop in such an expensive manner.

These ambitious announcements and projects spell good fortune for the region. While the Middle East is rich in oil, it is much richer in sun. Tapping into this source of energy could well place the region as a major player in the new and booming market of green energy, while generating thousands of jobs for the increasing young population in the region.

However, until the people’s awareness catch up and sustainable lifestyles are promoted, these isolated projects will remain green oases among the barren deserts.