Beyond Renewables – A Circular Path to Energy Resilience

MENA’s energy transition isn’t just about solar panels and wind turbines , but about reinventing the economy for resilience. Renewables are essential but not enough. The real game-changer is integrating circular economy principles: turning waste into energy, recycling materials, and designing industries for reuse. This approach amplifies the benefits – think more jobs, lower costs, and less waste along with lower carbon.

Why it matters:

Diverting fossil fuel subsidies toward circular innovation frees up fiscal space

• Circular inputs reduce import dependency and price volatility
• Reuse and resource efficiency boost GDP per unit of energy
• Circular infrastructure creates more jobs per dollar invested than conventional systems

From Saudi Arabia using captured CO2 and recycled waste to add billions to its GDP, to Egypt turning 4 million tons of trash into green hydrogen, to Morocco fueling cement plants with household waste- circular solutions are boosting energy security and economic growth. It’s about building strong economies that can thrive in a carbon-constrained world.

Every business and policymaker in MENA should ask:

How can we make circularity our competitive advantage?

Because the energy transition isn’t just a technical upgrade, but an economic rewire.

Whether through industrial symbiosis in special economic zones, waste-to-energy systems, or national recycling frameworks, circular practices can dramatically increase the return on clean energy investments. They cut costs, create jobs, reduce import dependency, and unlock green innovation.