Since the Industrial Revolution, the world's development has relied on the assumption of an abundant and infinite supply of energy resources, such that we produce, use and dispose energy waste in a linear fashion. This economic model, where natural resources and waste resulting from their use are not integrated, has resulted in significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions into the atmosphere.
The need to act on climate change, combined with the scale of ambitions to meet the Paris Agreement, require a paradigm shift in the way society approaches climate policies and strategies.
Dr. Tidjani Niass from the Saudi Aramco Technology Strategy and Planning Department will introduce and propose the circular carbon economy (CCE) as a pragmatic, alternative development model based on a more efficient use of natural resources. The model also addresses several Sustainable Development Goals including climate change. The CCE approach maximizes the benefits from all energy sources and valorizes all efforts to reduce GHG emissions to the atmosphere through a closed loop involving 4Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle, remove).
Aspects of the circular economy include technologies that: enhance energy efficiency and reduce emissions from own operations; reuse CO2; deploy carbon capture, utilization and storage across a range of sectors and employ natural sinks.
