Caption: Recycling Arrows Network.
Source: Needpix; Google Image https://www.needpix.com/photo/1827273/
With the pressing challenges facing the environment, such as climate change and environmental degradation, it is imperative for all countries to respond to circular practices. Reusing and recycling products in the circular economy are promising ways to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. It contributes to the rapid implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the achievement of the Paris Agreement’s goals (ESCWA, 2023). Finland was the first country in the world to create a national circular economy roadmap. The plan focuses on shifting away from the traditional “make-take-waste” model and moving toward an approach that preserves resources and reduces waste across all stages of production and consumption (World Economic Forum, 2021). Developed countries have increasingly focused on implementing the concept of a circular economy across all industries. A country like the Netherlands, for example, has set a goal of achieving full circularity by 2050 and 50% circularity by 2030. This will make it a clear leader in Europe (Circular., 2022).
The race among major countries in this context reflects their capabilities and ability to implement this approach. However, in Arab countries, particularly in Jordan, the situation is different and generally less serious.
- Jordan’s Current Efforts in Sustainability
Jordan has made significant strides toward sustainability, although progress remains modest compared to global standards. Efforts include initiatives in waste management, such as promoting recycling programs and introducing policies to reduce single-use plastics. Within the framework of the Green Growth Plan adopted by the Kingdom for 2021–2025, the Ministry of Environment has developed a work plan outlining sustainable measures across various sectors. Each sector is built upon multiple national objectives for green growth, with one of the key goals being sustainable economic development (Ministry of Environment, 2020).
There is a royal directive to pursue the adoption of sustainable practices. In His Majesty the King’s message to Jordanians, he emphasized the importance of sustainable growth by directing the Royal Hashemite Court to organize a national workshop. This workshop will bring together economic experts in collaboration with the government to develop a comprehensive vision and roadmap for the coming years, ensuring Jordan unleashes its potential for achieving sustainable and inclusive growth. Additionally, there is a clear plan embodied in the Economic Modernization Vision, which emerged from the national workshop mentioned by His Majesty. This vision places sustainability at the heart of Jordan’s future development strategy. (Economic Modernisation Vision). Furthermore, one of the key growth drivers of this plan is a sustainable environment, based on a holistic approach that considers necessary actions over the short, medium, and long terms, with focus on the period between 2023 – 2033 (Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation).
However, Jordan faces several challenges, such as a lack of widespread public awareness and limited funding, which continue to hinder the effective adoption of circular economy practices. For example, the 2021–2025 plan identifies challenges in the waste management sector, such as inclusive governance issues, which include low awareness of circular economy concepts, inadequate financial and tax incentive structures, and weak enforcement of waste regulations (Ministry of Environment, 2020). “Sustainability awareness is quite low, and Jordanian companies mostly do not seem to consider the environmental impacts of their manufacturing operations” (Alzubi and Akkerman, 2022).
Despite the challenges, several initiatives have been launched to address this issue. For example, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Jordan, in partnership with the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), announced the launch of the project “Catalyzing a Transformative Model for Circularity through 9R’s in Aqaba” on October 10, 2024. This initiative, funded by the European Union Delegation to Jordan, aims to foster a green, environmentally sustainable, and socially inclusive circular economy in Aqaba. It utilizes the 9R system solutions framework to combat growing pollution and waste, thereby paving the way for more sustainable development in the region. The EUR 2.8 million project, funded by the EU Delegation to Jordan, aims to establish a sustainable circular economy in Aqaba using the 9R framework to tackle pollution, waste, and biodiversity loss (United Nations Development Programme, 2024).
- How Does Jordan Compare to Its Neighbors?
The circular economy is a specialized approach to achieving sustainability by focusing on reducing waste, reusing materials, and recycling resources across industrial channels (MacArthur, 2013). It represents a shift from traditional linear economic models towards practices that prioritize environmental protection and resource efficiency strategies. Countries around the world, including Jordan and its neighboring countries, are adopting the principles of the circular economy to varying degrees and gradually to achieve sustainability goals and address pressing environmental challenges.
One way to compare the adoption of circular economy practices across countries is through the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) Waste Recovery Score and the EPI Recycling Score, which measure efficiency in waste recovery and recycling efforts, respectively. These metrics shed light on how efficiently countries handle waste recovery and recycling initiatives, making them useful benchmarks for assessing regional progress in sustainability efforts.
Figure (1)
Source: (Environmental Performance Index, 2024).
Kuwait ranks as the highest Arab country in waste recovery, achieving a score of 59.6 and ranking 23rd globally. It is followed by Bahrain with a score of 34 and a global ranking of 35, and Oman with a score of 24.7 and a ranking of 41. Jordan ranks 72nd globally with a low score of 6.2, lagging behind Gulf countries and other geographically neighboring nations. Its score is similar to countries like Egypt (6.5, ranked 67th) and the United Arab Emirates (5.9, ranked 75th). Iraq follows with a score of 4.8 and a global ranking of 86 (Environmental Performance Index, 2024).
Figure (2)
Source: (Environmental Performance Index, 2022).
In the Recycling Index, and in contrast to its ranking in waste recovery, Egypt ranked first among Arab countries with a score of 26.6, securing the 42nd position globally. It is followed by the United Arab Emirates with a score of 24.5 and a global ranking of 48. Saudi Arabia comes next with a score of 18.8, ranking 77th. Despite its efforts in waste recovery, Qatar ranks lower in the Recycling Index at 166th with a score of 6. The remaining countries mentioned in the figure show close rankings ranging between 91st and 111th. When observing Jordan separately from these countries, it ranks 106th globally with a score of 14.6 (Environmental Performance Index, 2022).
It is essential to focus on a clear, numbered strategy for circular economy practices to improve Jordan’s rankings across all relevant indices, not just a single one, as seen in Egypt and Qatar. Learning from Egypt’s recycling strategies and Qatar’s waste recovery methods could offer valuable insights.
With the royal vision, clear action plans, and the necessity of securing grants due to Jordan’s economic and geopolitical situation, adopting green practices aligned with sustainable development goals becomes crucial. The responsibility lies with implementing bodies to intensify efforts and ensure these plans are effectively realized.
