将海湾合作委员会城市纳入循环：循环经济中的可持续增长

2Over the course of a single generation, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)countries1have experienced rapid economic development and populationgrowth. This has placed great pressure on the prevalent linear economicmodel of “take, make, use, waste.” The region is depleting its resources at anaccelerated rate, whilst generating unprecedented waste and emissions, tothe detriment of the region economically, environmentally, and socially.GCC countries have started to explore sustainable solutions, such as seekingalternative sources of energy, curbing excessive consumption of resources,and expanding recycling efforts. However, reversing the current pattern ofdevelopment requires a holistic approach.The region must therefore adopt the concept of the circular economy,establishing a robust framework for sustainable growth. This involves creatingclosed-loop material cycles across the production and consumption valuechain, and treating waste as leakage of value to be avoided.The Ideation Center has defined a circular economy framework, governed bythree principles: optimizing the consumption of finite resources, maximizingproduct utilization, and recovering by-products and waste. Given the hugeexpansion of urban areas and plans for mega-cities in the GCC, the journeyshould start with cities, focusing on the built environment, transportation,and households.The GCC can save almost US$138 billion by 2030 with this circular model,corresponding to nearly 1 percent of the region’s cumulative GDP between2020 and 2030. It can also reduce emissions by 150 million tons, virtually thetotal CO2 emissions of the Netherlands in 2015.2GCC governments should create a national framework, establishing a strategiccouncil to guide the transition to a circular economy. They should also educatetheir populations about the environmental impact of their consumptionhabits. Finally, governments themselves should lead by example, changinghow they procure and consume assets.Executivesummary Table of ContentsExecutive summaryThe circular opportunity in the GCCBuilding a circular economyConclusionAppendixEndnotesCircular economy models ensuresustainability and resource efficiencyTopics 02042208231924 4As GCC countries take their place among the world’sdeveloped countries, they now face some of the samechallenges that result from growth. Their economicdevelopment has gone hand-in-hand with a rapidlygrowing population, mostly concentrated in cities. Atthe same time, their economies still depend heavily onnatural resources, the supply of which is finite. Hence,they need to move quickly to an alternative model thatwould bring about sustainability and efficiency in theuse of resources.The one-way linear production model isbound to endTo maintain their growth rate, GCC countries need tomove away from the current linear model describedas “take, make, use, waste” (see Exhibit 1). Thelinear economy model, the practice of choice sincethe Industrial Revolution, is a one-way productionapproach that places a strain on finite resources andintroduces large amounts of waste. There are severalweaknesses with this model: material use during theproduction process is not optimized, product life is notmaximized, and waste from the production and post-consumption phases is not reused.Under the linear model, many natural resources thatare vital for today’s industries face the prospect ofdepletion. For example, there are eight metals at highrisk of depletion in the near future that are deemedby the European Union (EU) to be essential for suchtechnologies as electric vehicles, wind and solar energy,and lighting. These metals include gallium, which is usedfor LCD and LED screens and solar-photovoltaic panels.3Companies and economies that rely on such scarcenatural resources are more exposed to price volatilitycaused by disruptions in supply. The results areeconomic risks for countries and reduced economicgrowth and competitiveness for companies.Natural resources in the GCC are likewise not immuneto depletion, as current consumption practices areunsustainable. The region’s households are responsiblefor the highest consumption rates of electricity in theCircular economy models ensuresustainability and resource efficiencyExhibit 1: The one-way linear production model introduced “waste” and is bound to endSource: Strategy&TakeMakeUseWaste 51.3 billion tons, and could reach 2.2 billion tons per yearby 2025.6The International Energy Agency reportedthat global energy-related carbon emissions rose toa record level of 32.5 gigatons in 2017, due to higherenergy demand and the slowing of energy-efficiencyimprovements.7The carbon footprint of the GCC isamongst the largest in the world, with five of the GCCcountries ranking in the top 10 (out of 142 countries) in2015 when measured on a per capita basis.8Total waste in the region is expected to increase from 94million tons in 2015 to 120 million tons by 2020,9andthis rise will have material consequences. Municipalitiesare not equipped