In its eighth annual edition, the Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC) Congress gathered regional and international experts to discuss for the first time, the adoption of a circular economic model in the building industry and construction sector, in a bid to advance the UAE’s sustainable development goals of Vision 2021.
Saeed Al Abbar, Chairman of EmiratesGBC, explained: “The necessity for the adoption of circular economy principles in the built environment is unquestionable if we are going to make significant changes in curbing the effects of climate change to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. Circularity in the building industry will limit our use of valuable natural resources, encourage innovation and adoption of new sustainable technologies, and ensure a more sustainable approach to economic development. Our region has one of the highest carbon footprints in the world.”
According to the Strategy & Middle East’s report ‘Putting GCC Cities in the Loop’, if the GCC region transforms to a circular economy it can save almost $138 billion by 2030 and reduce emissions by 150 million tons.