The Reality of the Green Economy in the GCC Countries & its Criminal Protection

Authors

Noora Mohamed AlShamlan, Abduljabbar Ahmed Altayeb

 

Abstract

The green economy is an activity based on environmentally friendly projects or at least an economy that does not add new hindrances to the environment or increase the degree of pollution. The GCC Countries encounter many challenges to transforming into a green economy in order to achieve sustainable development. The green economy movement might be inconsistent with the fact that the GCC countries are oil producer countries and depend mainly on fossil fuels, which directly affects the environment, and their economies are not based on the principle of greening. Accordingly, this study aims to explain the green economy by studying its history, definition, objectives, and how it can be implemented or transformed into it. The study moves to the GCC Countries’ experiences in the field of transition to a green economy in order to achieve sustainable development, and presents the most common green economy indicators. Finally, this study deals with the criminal guarantees available for commitment and continuation of this environmentally friendly economy, by addressing the means of criminal protection. To achieve the purpose of the study, the descriptive, analytical approach was used to present the theoretical literature and the initiatives of the GCC Countries. In addition, analyzing the Global Green Economy Index (GGEI) and the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) clarifies the aspects of criminal protection for the green economy. The study found the need to adopt the concept of a green economy for its impact on achieving sustainable development for the GCC. The study found that the GCC countries still occupy delinquent ranks in the green economy despite their adoption of many green initiatives and the existence of the legislative framework. Thus, it is crucial to reconsider the legislation with regard to the penal aspect, especially the expansion of green alternative penalties.

DOI: 10.51958/AAUJBL2023V7I2P8