However, disasters like the Fukushima incident earlier this year in Japan demonstrated, in a most glaring fashion, that nuclear energy is not without risks. The proliferation of nuclear material and know-how is yet another challenge. Indeed, Germany earlier this year became the first industrialised nation completely to opt out of nuclear energy, announcing its decision to close all existing reactors by the year 2022.

Many are therefore advocating for renewable energy as a sustainable solution to managing the long-term energy challenges of the Middle East. Abu Dhabi’s Masdar being a case in point, many initiatives in the Gulf states are being established to actively foster research into, and the development of, sustainable energy solutions for the region. But how cost-efficient are these alternative resources like solar and wind energy? Is there sufficient environmental awareness in the region for them to be accepted among people?

Without a doubt, Facebook, Twitter and other websites have been a factor in the recent events. The January 25 protests in Egypt were organized through a Facebook page called We are all Khalid Said. In Tunisia, activist, blogger and Tweeter Slim Amamou has been appointed to a ministerial position in the post-Ben Ali government. And countless videos of protests in Arab capitals were uploaded to Youtube even when regimes were actively curtailing access to the web.

However some, like DubaiDebates.com participant and Harvard University Berkman Center research affiliate, Helmi Noman, argue that the role of social media is being over-rated. “The Internet is a catalyst for power shift”, he argues. “It works when there is a power shift offline.” So, no revolution on the streets, no revolution on the Internet?

What do you think? Join our debate by submitting a video contribution to the panel. Are social media the reason for the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt? Will there be a ripple effect on other Arab nations? How much credit do Facebook and Twitter deserve for the recent events? Is Mark Zuckerberg the new hero of the Arabs? Or is it Twitter founder Jack Dorsey?