SAUDI'S CIRCULAR ECONOMY ROADMAP

SAUDI'S CIRCULAR ECONOMY ROADMAP

The world is facing many environmental challenges, and it is becoming increasingly clear that we need to find sustainable solutions. One way to do this is through the circular economy. It's time for Saudi Arabia to take action on its environmental problems. We want to show you why a circular economy is the way to go and how it could benefit the country as a whole.

1. WHAT IS THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY?

As the world progresses, it is becoming increasingly important to adopt sustainable practices that will allow us to preserve our resources for future generations. One such practice is the circular economy, which aims to keep materials in use for as long as possible and recycle them back into the economy when they are no longer needed. The concept of a circular economy is often compared to the traditional linear model of take-make-waste, in which products are manufactured, used, and then discarded. In contrast, a circular economy keeps materials in use for as long as possible and recycles them back into the system when they are no longer needed. This not only reduces waste but also creates new opportunities for businesses and helps to boost economic growth. Saudi Arabia has recently announced its plans to adopt a circular economy roadmap in order to achieve its Vision 2030 goals. This is a huge step forward for the country and will help it to become more sustainable in the future.

The circular economy is an economic system in which resources are used and reused in a closed loop. This means that instead of waste being sent to landfill, materials are recovered and used again. Saudi Arabia has ambitious plans to become a world leader in the circular economy, and has released a Circular Economy Roadmap setting out its goals for the coming years.

The circular economy is a new way of thinking about the economy and how we use resources. It is based on the principle of waste reduction and resource conservation. The goal of the circular economy is to eliminate waste and make sure that resources are used efficiently. In the past, the linear economy was the dominant model. This is the model where we take resources from the earth, use them to make products, and then dispose of those products when we're done with them. This model is not sustainable in the long run because it depletes our natural resources and creates mountains of waste.

The circular economy is a more sustainable model because it keeps resources in use for as long as possible. Once a product reaches the end of its life, it is recycled or reused so that it can continue to provide value. This reduces waste and helps to conserve our natural resources. The Saudi government has recently released a Circular Economy Roadmap which outlines their plans to transition to this more sustainable model. The Roadmap includes targets for reducing waste, increasing recycling, and improving resource efficiency. It also includes plans for supporting businesses that are making the switch to the circular economy. The Circular Economy Roadmap is an important step forward for Saudi Arabia. It shows that they are committed to sustainability and resource conservation. It also provides a blueprint for how they can transition to this new way of thinking about the economy.

There are many benefits to moving to a circular economy. It reduces environmental pollution, creates jobs, and improves resource efficiency. Moreover, it is estimated that the circular economy could save Saudi Arabia billions of dollars each year. The Roadmap sets out a clear plan for how Saudi Arabia intends to achieve its goals, and includes targets for 2030 and 2050. It is clear that the circular economy offers many benefits for both Saudi Arabia and the world as a whole. By implementing its ambitious plans, Saudi Arabia can show global leadership on this crucial issue – making it essential reading for anyone interested in the future of sustainable development.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has released its first ever Circular Economy Roadmap, which outlines its plans to transition to a sustainable, circular economy. The circular economy is a system in which materials and energy are efficiently recycled, reducing the amount of waste going to landfill. It also promotes a more efficient use of resources, leading to economic and environmental benefits. The roadmap lays out four key objectives for the country's transition to a circular economy: 1. Reducing the amount of waste going to landfill by 70% by 2030; 2. Increasing recycling rates from 25% to 60% by 2030; 3. Increasing the efficiency of water use by 20% by 2030; and 4. Increasing the efficiency of energy use by 20% by 2030. The roadmap also highlights five key areas that will be key in achieving these objectives: education, public awareness, legislation, investment and infrastructure development.

2. THREE DIMENSIONS OF CIRCULARITY

There are no entirely circular, waste-free economies, and even recycling requires energy. But across the world the approach of circularity is increasingly being used by companies, policymakers and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) to rethink and redesign how resources are used. Currently, the Saudi economy is a long way from circularity, given its dependence on non-renewable fossil fuels and its world-leading rates of waste generation. The shift to circularity will require action at micro, meso and macro levels.

? The micro level describes changes in the behaviour of individual consumers, or the production and design processes of individual firms. For instance, some international textiles firms have adopted a “cradle-to-cradle” product design philosophy, in which only recyclable or biodegradable materials and chemicals are used, so that products can either be recycled or reenter the natural biosphere.

? The meso level describes collaborative action taken between entities, such as firms in an industrial park. In China, policymakers want to transform industrial parks into “eco-industrial” parks. One approach is to identify areas of “industrial symbiosis”, where the waste produced by one firm is re-used or transformed into raw materials for another.

? The macro level describes action taken at a larger scale, such as at a city, national or potentially even global level. For example, the OECD and the European Commission have developed policy toolkits and dialogues to encourage city and regional governments to move towards circularity

3. WHY SHOULD SAUDI EMBRACE A CIRCULAR ECONOMY MODEL

There are two primary imperatives for Saudi Arabia to embrace the circular economy: environmental and economic. At an environmental level, the country’s rapid urbanization, modernization and population growth have taken a heavy toll, with clear effects on the country’s biodiversity, heritage, and societal wellbeing. A circular economy would reassert the value of ecological resources and encourage new thinking about how to minimize waste, pollution and environmental degradation. At an economic level, a circular economy could help Saudi Arabia to diversify beyond its reliance on its oil resources – which are abundant but finite – and curb its world leading levels of plastic and food waste, and transform what remains into an economic resource, rather than an economic drag.

4. THE CURRENT STATE OF THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY IN SAUDI ARABIA

Saudi Arabia does not yet have any formal legislation or national strategy for the circular economy. However, a number of environmental and sustainability policies have been adopted in recent years which may support a shift towards circularity. In particular, Vision 2030 – the government’s overarching framework for economic development, launched in 2016 – focuses on moving the economic model away from the unsustainable depletion of the country’s key resource, oil, and seeks to make better use of its resources in general. Both Vision 2030 and the National Transformation Plan (NTP) - the current five-year development plan under the Vision framework - include key targets to help the country achieve environmental sustainability. These do not use the language and concept of the circular economy, but have given rise to several circular economy initiatives.

In 2018, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture issued a briefing for the Council of Economic and Development Affairs outlining the country’s National Environment Strategy, which offered a thorough review of the state of environmental policy and called for a “comprehensive framework for the implementation of radical solutions”.38 Its wide-ranging aims include developing the governance of the environment, reducing pollution, and promoting the private sector’s role in improving sustainability. It also seeks to enhance the quality and coverage of weather data.

The ministry acknowledged the need to mainstream climate change into national economic development policies, and noted the role of emissions from landfills as well as the larger issue of hydrocarbon consumption. The strategy acknowledged an absence of frameworks for private-sector participation in improving sustainability, for instance in the waste sector. It also pointed to the lack of incentives for green business, such as soft loans or subsidies.

5. SAUDI'S ROADMAP TO A CIRCULAR ECONOMY

In May 2018, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia released its Circular Economy Roadmap, which outlines a plan to shift the country toward a more environmentally sustainable economy. The roadmap identifies key areas for improvement, including waste management, recycling, renewable energy, and the use of recycled materials. With this ambitious plan in place, Saudi Arabia is well positioned to be a leader in the global shift toward a more circular economy.

The Saudi government has unveiled an ambitious roadmap to transition the country to a circular economy. The roadmap, which was released by the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, sets out a number of targets for the next decade, including reducing waste generation by 50% and increasing recycling and reuse rates to 70%. The Saudi government is clearly committed to tackling the issue of waste and making the most of its resources. The circular economy offers a sustainable way to do this, and the roadmap provides a clear path to follow. With strong political will and continued investment, Saudi Arabia could become a world leader in this area.

Saudi's decision to pursue a circular economy is a smart and sustainable move that other countries should emulate. The circular economy is an industrial system that is restorative by design, and it keeps resources in use for as long as possible. This reduces waste and pollution while also promoting economic growth. Saudi Arabia has set some ambitious goals for its circular economy policy, including reducing the country's dependence on oil, creating new jobs, and increasing the recycling of municipal waste. These are all laudable objectives that will benefit both Saudi Arabia and the global environment.

The Kingdom has released detailed information cataloguing its climb up the?Green Future Index 2022, issued by MIT Technology Review, as it seeks to take the lead on developing solutions to?the environmental challenges facing the globe.?

Saudi Arabia’s?10 place rise up?this year’s list?comes after?programs and initiatives led by?Crown?Prince Mohammed bin Salman,?notably?the Saudi and Middle East Green Initiatives and the establishment of royal natural reserves to increase vegetation in?Saudi Arabia.??

Within an overarching vision to pave the way towards net-zero, SGI unites all climate action efforts within the Kingdom to fulfill three key targets: reducing carbon emissions by 278 mtpa by 2030, planting 10 billion trees across Saudi Arabia, and placing 30% of the Kingdom’s land and sea under protection.

The Green Future Index report shows that the Kingdom has moved up in the Carbon Emissions Pillar by 27 places, ranking 19th globally. The progress was driven by the Kingdom’s announcement that it would raise the carbon-emissions target in its nationally determined contribution (NDC) to 278 mtpa by 2030, more than double the 133 mpta announced in 2015.

What also contributed to the Kingdom’s progress was the announcement of its aspiration to reach net-zero by 2060. Depending on the maturity and availability of the necessary technologies, this ambitious goal will be achieved through the implementation of the CCE approach.

This is in line with the Kingdom’s development plans and economic diversification efforts, and consistent with the ‘dynamic baseline’ stipulated in the Kingdom’s NDC, ensuring the Kingdom maintains and enhances its leading role in the security and stability of energy global markets.

The Kingdom has also launched, in this regard, a national program for the Circular Carbon Economy, a comprehensive approach endorsed by G20 leaders during the Kingdom’s presidency of the summit in 2020.

With the aim of achieving several objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, SGI, MGI?—and the Circular Carbon Economy?approach that the initiatives aim to advance?—?are key pillars to develop the roadmap to realize the Kingdom’s ambitious climate objectives.?

The inaugural SGI Forum in October 2021 saw the announcement of a first suite of more than 60 new initiatives, with over SR700 billion in investments.?

The second editions of the MGI Summit and the SGI Forum, held under the theme ‘From ambition to action’, took place on 11-12 Nov 2022 in tandem with COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.?

6. THE BENEFITS OF A CIRCULAR ECONOMY

In a world where resources are becoming increasingly limited, it is becoming increasingly important to find ways to use those resources more efficiently. A circular economy is one way to do this.

There are many benefits to implementing a circular economy, and Saudi Arabia is well positioned to take advantage of them. A circular economy is an economic system in which waste and pollution are minimized, and resources are used more efficiently. This can help to reduce environmental degradation, create new jobs, and boost economic growth. Saudi Arabia has a large population and a rapidly growing economy. This puts pressure on the country's resources, and its environment. Implementing a circular economy can help to alleviate some of these pressures.

The circular economy is often contrasted with the traditional linear economy, in which resources are extracted, used, and then discarded as waste. In a circular economy, waste is minimized and resources are used more efficiently. This can help to reduce environmental degradation and boost economic growth. There are many potential benefits of implementing a circular economy in Saudi Arabia. These include reducing environmental degradation, creating new jobs, and boosting economic growth.

A circular economy is an economic system in which materials and energy are cycled through the system without being lost. This means that waste is minimized and materials are reused as many times as possible.

There are many benefits to a circular economy, including:

1) Reduces pollution: By minimizing waste, a circular economy can help reduce the amount of pollution that is produced.

2) Helps save resources: By reusing materials, a circular economy helps save on the need to extract new materials from the earth.

3) Helps improve economic performance: A circular economy can help improve economic performance by increasing productivity and efficiency.

4) Can create jobs: A circular economy can create new jobs in the fields of recycling and material reuse.

5) Can lead to increased innovation: With increased focus on recycling and material reuse, a circular economy can lead to increased innovation in these fields.

7. HOW YOU CAN HELP CREATE A CIRCULAR ECONOMY

The MacArthur Foundation proposes three key principles for the circular economy:

1. Design out waste externalities – most of the environmental impact of a product is determined at the design stage, so minimising waste at this early stage is critical. Product life cycles need to be extended. The very concept of built-in obsolescence (such as smartphones that need to be regularly replaced) itself needs to become obsolete.
2. Keep resources in use – for instance, by re-using, mending, upcycling (transforming waste or by-products into new materials or products of a higher value), refurbishing, leasing and “remanufacturing” (rebuilding a product to its previous specifications).
3. Regenerate natural capital – use renewable and re-usable inputs whenever possible, recognising ecosystems and the natural environment as a critical economic asset.

Saudi Arabia recently released its Circular Economy Roadmap, which lays out a plan to help create a sustainable future for the country. The roadmap outlines four key objectives: reducing waste, reusing materials, recycling resources, and innovating new products and processes.

There are many ways that you can help contribute to Saudi Arabia's Circular Economy Roadmap. You can start by reducing your own waste. Take a look at how you can repurpose items that would otherwise go in the trash. You can also start recycling household items like paper, plastic, and aluminum cans. Another way you can help is by coming up with new ideas for products and processes that are more sustainable than those currently used. For example, you could develop a new composite material that is stronger than traditional materials but lighter in weight. Or you could come up with a new way to manufacture goods that uses fewer resources and emits fewer greenhouse gases. By taking part in Saudi Arabia's Circular Economy Roadmap, you can help make a difference for the planet and help create a more sustainable future for everyone.

The Saudi government has set an ambitious goal to have a circular economy by 2030 and they are well on their way to achieving it. But they need our help. We can all do our part to create a circular economy. Recycle your paper, plastic, and metal. Buy recycled products. And support businesses that are working to create a sustainable future. Together, we can make a difference.