Participation modes and diplomacy of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries towards the global sustainability agenda

Al‐Saidi, Mohammad; Zaidan, Esmat; Hammad, Suzanne H.

doi:10.1080/09614524.2019.1597017

Cited by 33 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…In light of these local sustainability challenges, the region has initiated measures to transform the built environment and deploy efficient technologies, including renewables, in order to bring about an ecological modernisation and, at the same time, deliver outcomes in accordance with parts of the global sustainability agenda, such as the 2015 Paris Agreement (Al-Saidi and Elagib 2018). Furthermore, according to Al-Saidi, Zaidan, and Hammad (2019), GCC countries have shown more engagement in recent years towards the global sustainability agenda, undertaking more reforms, realigning some strategies to global goals (particularly the build environment and use of renewables), and joining international regimes.…”

Section: Balancing Sustainable Development Responsibilitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, there are some divergences in terms of sustainable development strategies, while some political and environmental catalysts of change can set the region's countries apart. Al-Saidi, Zaidan, and Hammad (2019) highlighted how Qatar and the UAE tend to stand out as energy-abundant and rich countries with strong global ambitious and a higher level of engagement with global environmental regimes. UAE has shown its eagerness to integrate into global networks and adopt state-of-the-art environmental paradigms.…”

Section: Divergences Crossroads and Breaking Pointsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Papers in this special issue have highlighted how the GCC region has a special context in the wider Arab region in terms of being historically reluctant to effectively engage with the global sustainability agenda advocated by developed countries (Al-Saidi, Zaidan, and Hammad 2019). This is despite the openness of the region to adopt westernised concepts and embrace state-of-the-art technologies and design concepts (Al-Zo'by 2019;Zaidan 2019).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Sustainable development in the Arab world – is the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region fit for the challenge?

Zaidan¹,

Al‐Saidi²,

Hammad³

2019

Development in Practice

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The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region and the wider Arab world are faced with multiple interconnected dilemmas embedded in the social, economic, and environmental pillars of sustainable development. The question of how to design effective sustainability strategies that are aligned with the context of the GCC region is a relevant one. In this special issue, contributors have investigated the obstacles to sustainable development in the GCC region, the impact of current development patterns on the sustainability agenda, and the way in which countries react to local, regional, and global sustainability pressures and debates. The issue aimed to provide a platform for academics to present policy-relevant research and practical steps being taken towards realising genuine sustainable development within the GCC region, while teasing out the major obstacles to this process. This regional focus is motivated by the shared challenge of GCC countries of reforming carbon-based economies as well as their systems of high subsidisation and universal benefits in order to incorporate sustainable concerns, merit-based rules, and more targeted policies. While these challenges are shared with other Arab countries, as well as other countries exporting oil and gas, the origins, current patterns, and future directions of sustainability reforms in the GCC region reveal interesting lessons to be learnt.The countries of the GCC (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)) are home to a large supply of fossil fuels and various types of minerals, and they are rich with regard to Arabic and Islamic culture and history. The economies of the GCC countries are characterised by their heavy dependence on exports of fossil fuels. These exports have generated significant revenues that have resulted in high per-capita income levels and decent living standards. Since the 1970s, the dominant development view in the region centred on economic growth, wide job creation through public jobs for national citizens, a heavy reliance on immigrant workers, and an ecosystem for a comprehensive distribution of economic and social benefits among nationals. Owing to the significant revenues generated from oil and gas as well as the ambitious plans of the leadership within the GCC, the GCC nations have transformed into very modern states during the past few decades. Recently, the fiscal sustainability of this model has been questioned in response to increasing demands from the growing population and economies for natural resources and for financial support. It is this factor that has made the biggest contribution to the sense of urgency regarding sustainability reforms in the region.Collectively, the GCC nations have a population of more than 40 million people. The region is one of the most urbanised in the world, with around 80% of the population residing in urban areas, mostly in close proximity to coasts where important ecosystems and cultural heritage are located. Roughly 40% of the GCC region's population are people born ou...

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Section: Balancing Sustainable Development Responsibilitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Divergences Crossroads and Breaking Pointsmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Sustainable development in the Arab world – is the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region fit for the challenge?

Zaidan¹,

Al‐Saidi²,

Hammad³

2019

Development in Practice

Self Cite

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“…The five selected GCC countries together hold 45% of global oil reserves (Al‐Shammari, Brown, & Tarca, 2008), and they also suffer from high environmental pollution, with the UAE considered to be the most polluted country in the world in relation to small particulate matter (World Bank, 2019). Some GCC countries have engaged more proactively with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), by implementing substantive environmental reforms, specifically related to the use of renewables and the built environment (Al‐Saidi, Zaidan, & Hammad, 2019; Hayman, 2019). However, CED remains a voluntary matter.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is corporate environmental disclosure associated with firm value? A multicountry study of Gulf Cooperation Council firms

2020

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Several studies have found a relationship between corporate social and environmental disclosure and firm value (FV) or accounting profitability. Where environmental disclosure has been the focus, though, only single‐country studies have been published, and most of the previous research concerns the developed world. This study examines the association between corporate environmental disclosure (CED) and FV in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, where CED has been increasing from its previous low base. Findings from a multicountry sample of 500 firm‐year observations using a 55‐item unweighted environmental disclosure index suggest that CED is significantly and positively related to FV as measured by Tobin's Q (TBQ). The relationship is robust to using a weighted version of the disclosure index, individual countries and environmental disclosure subindices. Some evidence of a positive relationship between CED and return on assets is also found, but even where statistically significant, the relationship is much weaker than in the case of TBQ. For empirical and theoretical reasons, we recommend that future studies pay greater attention to market‐based proxies, if possible, when investigating the value relevance of CED in both developed and developing countries. Our results suggest that both managers and policymakers in GCC countries should take a positive view of expanded CED.

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“…For example, the growing demand for electricity may increase even further due to the impact of climate change, as most energy consumption in the Gulf countries is composed of operating air conditioning units and running desalination processes to produce clean water. Considering these national sustainability challenges, the Gulf countries have commenced certain initiatives to alter the urban landscape and implement competent technologies, such as renewable energy, aiming to initiate an ecological modernization process and, simultaneously, achieve the aims and objectives of the global sustainability agenda, such as the 2015 Paris Agreement (Al-Saidi et al, 2019). In addition, indicated the Gulf countries have lately demonstrated rapid active involvement towards the global sustainability agenda by implementing more policies, re-modifying certain strategies to global goals (particularly the urban environment and the utilization of renewable energy resources), and joining global organizations.…”

Section: The New "Eco-cities" Of the Gulf Region: Between Corporate Imentioning

confidence: 99%

Master Planning and the Evolving Urban Model in the Gulf Cities: Principles, Policies, and Practices for the Transition to Sustainable Urbanism

Zaidan

Abulibdeh

2020

Planning Practice & Research

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The significant predicament of sustainable urbanism in contemporary cities of the Gulf region is being addressed by developing policies designed to make cities safe, inclusive, resilient and sustainable. By examining the accessible planning documents, and based on the analysis of the ongoing world-class developments and megaprojects within the Gulf cities, particularly in Doha and Dubai, we argue that there is an inconsistency between the master-planning phase, usually conducted by western consultants, and the economic, political, socio-cultural, and environmental dynamics of the Gulf. Our analysis revealed insensitivity to the local, economic and socio-cultural patterns of the Arab Gulf countries and a governmental lack of capacity of national planners that may erode the opportunities to implement sustainable urbanism. It is suggested that, although globalization and modernization may have brought some benefits to the Gulf cities such as improvement in living standards and changes in society and lifestyles, yet an innovative master planning that merges land use and strategic planning based on building national capacities, and a holistic understanding of the social, cultural and oil-dominated economies and community engagement, is essential to deliver sustainable urbanism in the region. Recommendations for moving towards more capable, participatory and sustainable planning system are suggested in the paper.

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Participation modes and diplomacy of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries towards the global sustainability agenda

Cited by 33 publications

References 32 publications

Sustainable development in the Arab world – is the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region fit for the challenge?

Sustainable development in the Arab world – is the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region fit for the challenge?

Is corporate environmental disclosure associated with firm value? A multicountry study of Gulf Cooperation Council firms

Master Planning and the Evolving Urban Model in the Gulf Cities: Principles, Policies, and Practices for the Transition to Sustainable Urbanism

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