jhort,
Nobody can predict the future, but just imagine a world that no longer oil and gas are the main source of energy; that South America’s countries are stable and prosperous; that Africa is finally been given the needed attention and is being justly developed with the use of their local resources... no need to mention Asia in general becoming more mature with robust economies and able to employ their own people; and Europe, North America and Australia, business as usual with some lessons learned from past mistakes...imagine a world like this? Do you possibly think that in such a world, the aggressive and harsh desertic climate will attract anybody here?
In that case, do you think that locals will be able to maintain (just maintain) all this unsustainable development?
In such world, I don't think that even the locals would like to stay here and we will probably witness a migration in the opposite direction, transforming “The Pearls", like you said, in huge ghost towns...

Now, as I said, nobody can predict the future, this is only a possible possibility!