The State of Qatar is looking forward to leading the sustainable "circular economy management" industry in the future, in light of the existence of broad government initiatives that support foreign investors.
And the circular economy - according to experts - is not a term born in recent years, but rather has deep roots in our world for decades since the innovation of the concept of recycling and reuse and the start of exploiting possible technologies in recycling and the orientation of countries towards developing, recycling and manufacturing their materials.
The circular economy or the green economy is defined as an economy that aims to reduce environmental risks and achieve sustainable development without leading to a state of environmental deterioration.
Expectations indicate that this sector will provide huge financial, social and environmental benefits worth about $17 billion by 2030, which is equivalent to 10% of Qatar's gross domestic product, in addition to providing 19,000 job opportunities.
Given the importance of this new resource (circular economy) and pursuant to the saying "the economy is the science of alternatives", studies appeared - including a study issued by the "Investment Promotion Agency" - that explored the potential in the waste management sector in the State of Qatar, which said that advanced communication and modern infrastructure in it provide opportunities Promising for potential investors in the areas of recycling waste, using it as fuel and recovering materials.
Some experts and specialists believe that the circular economy represents a vital, active economic model that controls resources and capabilities, and they add that this trend strongly supports the non-oil export sector, due to the availability of characteristics, including an emphasis on the relations between economic development, human and social development, and the environment, and that it does not represent a means to impose restrictions Trade, but rather to treat trade distortions, and is based on resource efficiency in terms of production and consumption.
The study, issued by the Investment Promotion Agency, indicated that Qatar's national strategy for environment and climate change, which aims to close and rehabilitate unsanitary landfills, in addition to recycling 15% of the total municipal waste, provides rewarding opportunities in all parts of the value chain related to waste management.
The Circular Economy and the World Cup
Interest in the circular economy has emerged intensively since Qatar won the right to host the 2022 World Cup, due to the knowledge of the competent authorities of the presence of large waste that accompanies the operations of preparing and equipping stadiums, infrastructure, facilities and tourism flows.
The focus of the State of Qatar - according to the competent authorities - was focused on recycling construction waste, especially "waste from the Qatar World Cup", so this point posed a great challenge, and great efforts were made with contractors and others to demonstrate the importance of recycling and its economic value to the state.
The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy estimated that the waste removed from the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 stadiums amounts to about 2,000 tons, of which 80% was recycled.
In this context, the Executive Director of the Sustainability Department at the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, Eng. Bodour Al-Meer, revealed in an exclusive interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA) that 54% of this quantity has been converted into organic fertilizer, 22% into plastic, and 14% into paper and cardboard, while the proportion of Glass, of which 8%, metals and electronics 2%.
Al-Meer indicated the success in recycling 70 to 80% of the construction waste of the stadiums, in addition to using 90% of the waste of the old Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium in the new construction operations of the stadium.
Al-Meer added, "During the preparation for the tournament, our focus shifted from the construction phase to operation, and we set our sights on a new goal, which is converting 100% of the waste generated from landfills into various new materials, and increasing the rate of recycling."
The Investment Promotion Agency study indicated that the waste management market in Qatar received support from the existence of facilities to manage it, in addition to a firm government commitment to recycling with the aim of stimulating economic growth and preserving the environmental capital of the state at the same time.
waste management industry
The study referred to 4 factors on which the waste management industry in the State of Qatar is based, including recycling, as the Integrated Waste Sorting and Recycling Program and the Second National Development Strategy in Qatar encourage the adoption of recycling techniques, including the use of about 20% of recycled materials in projects Constructions.
In addition to using waste as fuel, Qatar generates more than 30 megawatts of electricity at its local solid waste treatment centre.
In addition to the material recovery process, the study showed that waste produced in Qatar contains 5% of minerals, and includes iron (70%) and aluminum (30%).
With regard to partnerships - which are also among the pillars of industry and waste management - the study indicated that the Ministry of Municipality and Environment had previously launched an investment platform entitled "Opportunities", to encourage partnerships between the public and private sectors, and to exploit the opportunities provided by innovative technology in this field. Public Works (Ashghal) is the first joint project between the public and private sectors to treat wastewater, with a value of 1.5 billion riyals
.
The role of the private sector
The private sector is expected to play a pivotal role in the development of the circular economy, and the study found that investors and companies should play the main role in expanding this industry, as directing investments towards the sustainable waste management sector will generate a multiplier effect that supports the achievement of the goals of the United Nations for sustainable development, and this will yield advantages Many economies, as industrial waste will constitute the largest source of revenue in the global waste market by 50%.
In this regard, Mohamed Ahmed Al-Obaidly, Chairman of the Environment and Food Security Committee and a member of the Board of Directors of the Qatar Chamber - in a statement to Al-Jazeera Net - called for the creation of the private sector in this field and the introduction of technology and qualified skilled workers, especially since Qatar is on the verge of a large tourist movement after the experience of the World Cup. And an open economy, especially in the presence of a complete infrastructure and in such conditions that help the growth of the recycling industry and economies.
Al-Obaidly calls for the creation of the private sector in the field of sustainability (Al-Jazeera)
important industries
The circular economy is involved in some important industries, and Al-Obaidly points out that there are many factories that invest in this direction and produce and recycle plastic, as well as copper waste, wire scraps, glass, cardboard, food packaging, and the manufacture of car tire waste, which is used in the floors of stadiums and roads.
He added that the recycling industry supports the economy and makes it strong, in terms of preserving raw materials for recycling, and it represents a storehouse for raw materials and environmental protection.
Al-Obaidly stated that the process of recycling the circular economy is a real addition, as all waste, which is many, such as metal and house waste, is disposed of.
He gave an explanation of the technical stages that the circular economy goes through, and said that they include the stage of waste disposal, the next stage, which is the economic stage, and recycling.
He stressed "the need to pay attention to this trend until we reach advanced economic stages."
He added that "the waste in Qatar was used in cosmetic crops and fodder production," pointing at the same time to "the added value achieved by the recycling industry, as it is included in the economic cycle."
Expert look
As for the role that the circular economy can play in general economic policies, Dr. Saif Al-Hajri, an expert in the field of circular economy and the environment, says - in a statement to Al-Jazeera Net - that the circular economy plays a role in returning government, financial and economic policies to their path that supports the environment, and also contributes to opening opportunities Better economic and investment for companies, as well as other advantages.
Al-Hajri confirms that many goals are achieved by the circular economy, the most important of which are reducing spending, rationalizing consumption, reducing waste of raw materials, launching recycling processes, manufacturing, development and use, and maintaining the optimal use of products, equipment and infrastructure for a longer period, which improves resource productivity, in addition to It is an important means of manpower employment and the recovery of agriculture, trade and transportation.
Regarding the development of the contemporary concept of the circular economy and its practical applications to economic systems, Al-Hajri believes that the circular economy is more sustainable than the linear economic system, as it depends on reducing the resources used and the waste resulting from wastage, and works to bridge the gap between production cycles.
Saif Al-Hajri confirms that the circular economy achieves many goals, most notably reducing spending and rationalizing consumption (Al-Jazeera)
Promising opportunities
It is expected that the annual amount of waste will reach about 3.4 billion tons globally by 2050, and this is a really scary number, but it carries with it promising opportunities for sustainable investment in the areas of waste management and technological development in light of an advanced circular economy.
The State of Qatar began as a promising center for waste management in the Middle East and North Africa, as it produces about 6% of the world's total waste, and disposal methods range from open random dumps and landfills to sorting and recycling facilities.
The countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council - including Qatar - are distinguished for being among the most urban in the world, with 85% of the population concentrated in cities, and that percentage is expected to rise to 90% by 2050. In the context of its sustainability planning, Qatar has invested in building cities and regions that adopt The circular system, such as Lusail and Msheireb Downtown Doha, according to the Investment Promotion Agency study.