The first meeting of the UAE Circular Economy Council in 2023 was held as the country embarked on the Year of Sustainability and advanced towards COP28. Convening key representatives from the public and private sectors, the discussion highlighted the need for cross-industry collaboration, transparency, and access to information, in order to ensure the success of several waste management and decarburization initiatives currently underway. In her welcoming note, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri said: “The success of COP28 later this year depends on the ability of all of us to present and position the UAE as a role model in sustainable and climate-friendly, fast-developing nations. One of the priority items that need to be demonstrated for a successful COP28 is our ability to adopt circular approaches and innovations. “Our commitment to global climate action and the UAE’s adoption of the National Net Zero by 2050 Pathway presents our long-term emissions reduction targets as we aim to achieve 18% emission reduction compared to the 2019 baseline by 2030.”
The Minister indicated that one of the priority elements that must be emphasized for a successful COP28 is the country’s ability to adopt innovative approaches in a circular economy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For this purpose, she presented an open invitation to all entities to join a dedicated team to develop the UAE’s sustainable circular economy landscape. She also provided an overview of the results of a joint report by the Ministry and the Global Green Growth Institute on the state of the circular economy pathway in the UAE. The report identifies relevant historic and recent trends, compares the UAE’s performance to that of other countries, and offers scenario projections for a greener and more circular UAE. Topics under the spotlight include waste generation, greenhouse gas emissions, natural capital, and the use and trade of secondary raw materials. The study also examines the consumption of materials, water, and energy, as well as the reuse and recycling of materials, nutrients, and water.