According to the Minister of Economy, the UAE aims to develop a circular economy to double its economic growth by 2031.

Abdulla bin Touq told the UAE Climate Tech forum in Abu Dhabi on Thursday that the UAE plans to shift from a "linear economy to circularity." There is an annual 7% GDP growth target in place to double the economy within the next few years.

"We introduced 22 policies, and we are going to introduce more. There is a new technology that can help us decarbonise."

In 2022, the UAE approved 22 policies designed to speed up the transition to a circular economy within its drive to sustainable economic development, The National reports.

The UAE Circular Economy Council has also been established, which will devise policies focused on four key sectors: manufacturing, food, infrastructure and transport, according to the government.

"We created the UAE circular economic policy with the private sector. We brought all the multinational companies, and we [discussed] what policies we need to take to help advance technology and help the economy to be more circular," Mr Bin Touq stated.

Furthermore, the UAE is focusing on "circular trade" in a bid to reduce its carbon footprint. Indeed, the country is making significant investments in clean energy projects and has unveiled numerous initiatives in a bid to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

In addition, the UAE Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology, Sarah Al Amiri, urged for more investment in technologies to reduce emissions.

"So sectors that are the highest emitters need to look at the whole value chain approach," she said during the Climate Tech forum.

"The first approach is through carbon capture and ensuring that carbon is captured across the production process. The second is a mechanism to ensure that you are unlocking the value chain ... so it's a whole value chain effort in terms of where you are sourcing the raw materials and what type of energy is being utilised," Ms Al Amiri added.