Abstract
This case study shows how the Circular Carbon Economy (CCE) Index can be used to analyze a country’s CCE performance and enablers in a holistic manner and in a comparative context, relative to other countries. Saudi Arabia is an extremely relevant country to examine in this context given the centrality of the CCE concept in its climate change and energy transition policy. The paper aims to do two things: first, it provides an analysis of Saudi Arabia’s current CCE performance and its enabling environments for the CCE transition, relative to other countries. Second, it places this in the context of the Kingdom’s current policy targets and measures to understand its direction. By doing so, the analysis seeks to help inform the Saudi Government as it prepares its second Paris Agreement nationally determined contribution (NDC) ahead of the 2025 deadline. Overall, Saudi Arabia has already come a long way on its net-zero journey by developing and setting the CCE concept as the framework for the major transition ahead. The 2023 CCE Index paints a picture of a country that is already among the leading countries in the CCE in its region, with high ambition and significant potential to do even more.
