Building Disaster Resilience within the Emirati Energy Sector through a Comprehensive Strategic Mitigation Plan

Disasters, both natural and man-made, have been occurring with increasing frequency and effect in
recent decades in many countries around the world. Such threats have been shown to result in a loss
of life, property and income and all of which have an impact on the country’s socio-economic
structure and geo-political positioning. The UAE is steadily adapting its policies and practices to
manage any potential disaster, whether natural or man-made. However, evidently the UAE is exposed
and vulnerable to tectonic activity from a number of sources and yet there is little in the form of
seismic detection, protection, resistance or design for some of the newest and tallest structures in the
world. The paper highlights the importance of the strategic mitigation planning for disaster resilience
within the Emirati Energy sector. It discusses the issue of disaster globally and then specifically with
regards to the UAE, forming a critical analysis on crisis and its management. A broad literature
review of the problems readily associated within the discourse is undertaken so that the definition,
classification and the application of the disaster and its management cycle are appropriately
contextualised in regards to the Emirati problem. The window of opportunity that the UAE has for
improvement is emphasised by the findings of this paper.