The Environmental and Energy Policies to Enable Sustainable Consumption and Production in The Gulf Cooperation Council Countries

Abstract

\n The hydrocarbon sector in the Gulf Cooperation Council counties generates a significant trade-off between economic development and the environment. Our paper identifies the challenges and explores the policies that have been implemented in these countries to protect the environment and empower sustainable consumption and production. Moreover, we assess whether these policies succeeded in achieving their goals and why. This paper uses the analytical approach and utilizes the previous studies findings. We find the institutional actions of the Gulf countries are not enough to generate sustainable consumption and production. These countries remain strongly affected by the hydrocarbon sector, and the diversification achievements are weak. Further, energy price reforms have many problems as a tool to enhance sustainable consumption and production. The Gulf governments have an essential role in this process. They work under the concept of entrepreneurial state capitalist. The government controls all the sectors, including the private sector, to secure the regime. Our results are significant because it shows more improvements can be achieved in the sustainable consumption and production area of the Gulf countries.