Conservation comes naturally to desert dwellers: scarce resources must be carefully husbanded merely to ensure survival. But it was the discovery of oil that transformed the desert into what is today a flourishing country, and it would have been easy to surrender to sweeping progress and leave conservation at the mercy of good intentions.

Today, the UAE is one of the world's top producers and exporters of oil and gas, with the world's third-largest oil reserves and fourth-largest gas reserves. Ninety percent or more of these reserves are in Abu Dhabi, the largest and--because of them--richest of the Emirates.

But unlike some of the other oil-producing countries, the UAE has applied the strictest standards in controlling pollution. And because of that, and because the emirates--especially Abu Dhabi -have succeeded an extraordinarily green environment out of daunting desert, the UAE must surely be placed in the top ranks of nations that are energetically implementing sustainable development plans. Yet, recognition from the world community- especially some of the Western nations--has not been quite what the UAE merits. Indeed, a report by the prestigious World Economic Forum placed the UAE at the bottom of a sustainable development index. It turned out that the placement was based on totally outdated data.

And so, partly in reaction to being misrepresented and misunderstood, Abu Dhabi--the biggest and wealthiest of the seven emirates that comprise the UAE--earlier this year launched the Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative. It is designed to collect sophisticated data not only in the UAE but also encourage other countries worldwide to do so. The idea is that with a definite gathering of environmental data, policy makers would have better tools with which to make decisions affecting national and international policy. AGEDI's findings are also designed to serve publics all over the world by providing authoritative data that general audiences as well as academics can use without worrying about its authenticity.

The existence of oil in the Gulf region had been known for thousands of years. But it was industrialization that made oil a treasured natural resource, coveted by the rest of the world. British companies had surveyed the region in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but in wasn't until 1937 that the first official oil concession agreememt was signed between the ruler of Dubai and a British exploration company. The local rulers began to realize the potential benefits of such concessions, but were careful to reserve control over the scope of exploration. The concession agreement with Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan Al Nahyan, ruler of Abu Dhabi and Sheikh Zayed's elder brother, specifically prohibited exploration in "places of worship or sacred buildings or burial grounds," a clear indication even then of the leadership's unwillingness to surrender to wholesale progress and its eagerness to preserve the region's traditions and heritage.

Oil exploration was disrupted by World War II, but resumed in 1945. Sir Wilfred Thesiger, perhaps the last of the great explorers, criss-crossed the desert sands of what is now the UAE, Oman and southern Saudi Arabia. >From 1945 to 1951 he lived like a Bedu and lamented the inevitable arrival of others, "with more material aims," as he put it, who would "corrupt a people whose spirit once lit the desert like a flame." But he must be pleased with how the people of the desert have protected their fragile environment and its wildlife even as they've raised cities out of the sand, and how they are achieving the delicate balance between progress and conservation.

It wasn't until 1958 that commercially viable deposits of oil was found, and the extent of Abu Dhabi's oil reserves became clear. It took another four years for exports to get under way, and by then the economy of the emirates in the Arabian Gulf region had begun to reflect the area's new-found wealth and to change rapidly, from the simple economy of fishing, diving for pearls, and agriculture.

During the 1920s and 1930s, Sheikh Zayed had spent a great deal of time in the desert and come to understand the fragility of the desert environment, and the necessity for the considered use of scarce resources.

In 1971, the seven emirates known as the Trucial States--Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Qaiwain, R'as Al Khaimah and Fujairah--joined in a federation, and the UAE was founded with Sheikh Zayed as its president. Years later, he said of the federation that, "it sprang from a desire to increase the ties that bind us."? And spelling out what any leader might aspire to, he said that, "there is nothing that cannot be achieved in the service of the people if determination is firm and intentions are sincere."

Determination has been firm since those early days. The country's wealth has been invested to build up a solid infrastructure, with education and training as the driving force. Emiratis are encouraged to study in the UAE and abroad, and resources and guidance are made available every step of the way. Women have access to the same education opportunities as men. Everyone is educated in the importance of the environment.

Oil and gas exploration is regulated and subject to strict environmental protection laws, and oil companies that want to operate in the UAE are only too happy to adopt their own environmental initiatives. Mohammed Al Bowardi, Managing Director of Abu Dhabi's Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency (ERWDA), said that most marine oil pollution is not created by the UAE's oil industry, but by passing shipping.

The preservation of the region's heritage is an important priority. Archeological sites are protected and their excavation encouraged. On the island of Sir Bani Yas, a private wildlife preserve managed by the President's Private Department, there are archeological sites ranging from Late Stone Age structures to a pre-Islamic monastery.

The protected area of Sir Bani Yas is used for the captive breeding of endangered species like the Arabian Tahr, an elusive and highly endangered animal resembling a mountain goat, and the Arabian Oryx. It is also home to over 160 bird species, most of them temporary guests on their migratory routes. The island's mangroves offer shelter to breeding birds and are one of many marine protected areas.

Marine life, including sea turtles, dugong -- a marine mammal related to the manatees of Florida -- coral reefs and dwindling fish stocks, is also protected.

Falconry has been a time-honored tradition in the UAE, as in the rest of the Arabian peninsula, the favorite prey being the Asian houbara, a member of the bustard family. The National Avian Research Center (NARC), part of ERWDA, is experimenting with a captive breeding program to increase the populations of these diffident birds and cooperate with falconers to conserve their habitat. Hunting of wildlife has been banned since the 1960's.

Water is used carefully--though not sparingly--in the UAE. Much of the drinking water is desalinated, and treated recycled water is used in industry and agriculture. And yet, the hundreds of fountains in Abu Dhabi and Dubai send jets of water skyward day and night, the streets are lined with trees, and there are parks and green lawns everywhere.

For all the pitfalls of rapid development, UAE society has remained remarkably open and tolerant. UAE citizens enjoy privileges not available to expatriate workers, but they do not retreat into cozy isolation. More and more of them leave the UAE to study abroad, most bringing their education and new ideas back home. Job creation efforts focus on increasing the numbers of UAE nationals employed in the UAE. The process is referred to as 'emiratization,' and involves specialized training and placement programs for jobseekers.

Foreigners and long-time residents seem to view the UAE with a mixture of admiration of how much has been accomplished, and apprehension about the rapid pace of change.

Francois Gouyette is France's ambassador to the UAE. A linguist par excellence--he speaks fluent Arabic, Turkish and Greek, even though he spoke to us in English -- he talked of the high level of cooperation between his government and the UAE since the country's creation in 1971.

He said that the French oil company Total (now TotalFinaElf) was an early partner of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, an organization established in the 1970's for the purpose of bringing the various oil concessions under one umbrella while continuing collaboration with the major international oil companies.

Gouyette said that French companies are among the bidders for large development projects in the region, especially in the construction of desalination plants, power plants and waste treatment facilities, and added that the priority now in the relationship between the two countries was in the field of training and developing schooling programs. TotalFinaElf is also actively involved in supporting environmental research, in particular on the dugong.

Jurgens Young has been an avid falconer since the age of 18. His posting as Deputy Head of Mission at the South African Embassy in Abu Dhabi is a happy one since it means that he can indulge in his passion and train his own falcon.

Young said that, though there were no formal agreements, there was extensive cooperation between the UAE and South Africa on environmental issues. The ties between the two countries, Young said, were considerably strengthened when Sheikh Zayed donated four endangered Arabian Oryx to South Africa to ensure that the breed survives and to broaden the Oryx genetic pool in South Africa.

Young said that he admired the UAE's falcon programs. "This is an issue of conservation that is going exactly the way it should," he said. "It deserves a lot of acknowledgment and much praise."

Nadir Hadj-Hammou is Resident Coordinator of the United Nations (UN) and Resident Representative of the UN Development Programme (UNDP). He said that, in view of the UAE's rapid development, the UN could offer experience and expertise in the areas of human development and sustainability, and do so cost-effectively and taking best practices into account. Hadj-Hammou said that UNDP concentrates on the three main areas of human and institutional development, globalization, and environment and natural resources.

Hadj-Hammou said that the United Nations had worked with the government of the UAE on how to put a national environmental plan in effect. He also praised the Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative (AGEDI) launched by ERWDA last month at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, saying that environmental data collection would certainly be improved. He added that UNDP could help identify new partners for AGEDI.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan is Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the UAE and Deputy Chairman of ERWDA. He is the fourth of Sheikh Zayed's sons and was steeped in environmental awareness from childhood on, and he praised AGEDI as "not simply a national initiative." Sheikh Hamdan spoke of the UAE's commitment to address environmental conservation and sustainable development on a global level. "We have to make a start now," he said, "with many years of work ahead. In the United Arab Emirates, we are determined to tackle this process."

Technology is at the forefront of the UAE's rapid development. A report just released by the UN on progress in e-governance placed the UAE at first place in the Arab world, followed by Kuwait, Bahrain and Lebanon and 21st worldwide, ahead of Japan, Ireland, Austria and Russia.

At the end of October, Dubai will host a conference of the Group of 77 on Science and Technology. The conference will be chaired by the UAE and will bring together scientific organizations, research institutions, universities, foundations and business.

Those who attend the conference will be interested in one of the technology wonders of the UAE. Dr. Omar Bin Sulaiman is the CEO of Dubai Internet City, an extraordinary enclave in the outskirts of Dubai that operates as a free zone, a self-contained, one-stop shop that combines under one umbrella everything a technology company might need to set up business there. Fully wired offices can go online at the flick of a switch in the central control and operations room, and services range from software development to business services, education and training, marketing, and back office operations. Because it is a free zone, Internet City offers tax-free ownership, repatriation of profits, no currency restrictions. It even has its own satellite. "What we have is unique in the world," said Bin Sulaiman. A tour of Internet City leaves one in no doubt about the validity of his claim.

Of course there are problems. The rapid pace of development means that there are traffic jams in Dubai, the UAE's commercial center and largest city. The constant reclaiming of land from the sea interferes with the marine life environment, and it may be years before the effects become apparent. The planting of millions of trees in the desert may affect the climate.

But in their short history, the UAE have always treated the environment as a common good and a common responsibility. There's every reason to believe that if mistakes are made, they will be addressed and, eventually, set right. What I've mostly seen here is enthusiasm and the willingness to take risks, make mistakes, and start afresh. That can make the Western approach seem a little stale by comparison.

The fine desert sand of Sir Bani Yas is still in my shoes, a persistent reminder of this astonishing land that sprang out of the sands and is racing to meet the future.