Abstract

This thesis discusses the way cities may grow and adopt resilient urban measures to incorporate sustainability, technological advancements, governance systems, and financial systems in order to reduce the effects of climatic changes. Cities across the globe are being threatened by the effects of climate change due to the growing number of threats to humans, which include global temperatures increasing, marine level rising, droughts due to water shortages, and extreme weather patterns. This thesis will discuss ways in which the city centers of cities particularly in the UAE can strategize and embrace a holistic resiliency planning to address these multidimensional problems. It talks about the intersection of sustainability practices, digital age technologies, changes in governance, and new types of finance as urban resilience cores. The research is grounded on the mixed methods research design whereby the use of scenario planning, geospatial analysis and qualitative interviews using experts will be compared. The study is based on the mixed methods research design whereby the application of the scenario planning, geospatial analysis and interviews with experts through qualitative approaches will be compared. It can be seen in the research that a resilient city formulation needs to go beyond the sectorial enclaves and seek to develop cross-sector coordination’s, inclusive governance structures and responsive to the locals interventions. The natural solution referred to as green infrastructure is known to introduce a significant portion of adaptive capacity and the smart technologies, like the IoT sensors and predictive AI models. The paper also finds that disadvantaged groups (such as those with low income and migrants) are over-represented in relation to climate risks and that they require planning strategies that are equity-based. According to the results, the conceptual strategic resilience framework is suggested to orientation UAE cities to positive, climate-adaptive urban transformation. The system is participatory in nature, stresses evidence-based scenario planning and integrates climate action with national development plans including the UAE Vision 2050. This thesis makes a new addition in the study of urban sustainability as it not only links the theoretical models with the empirical data and the policy recommendations. It provides policy insights to support the development of urban cities by planners, policymakers, and stakeholders who aim to improve the sustainability, sustainability, and climate-resilient future of the rapidly urbanizing arid landscapes.

Publication Date

4-20-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Professional Studies (MS)

Department, Program, or Center

Graduate Programs & Research (Dubai)

Advisor

Ozcan Saritas

Campus

RIT Dubai

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