The Jordanian Sustainable Consumption and Production National Action Plan (SCP-NAP) was developed under the coordination of the Ministry of Environment in Jordan under the EU funded SwitchMed programme, with advisory services and technical support from the United Nations Environment Programme. The Plan is part of Jordan’s efforts to achieve Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. The SCP-NAP (SDG 12.1) addresses three priority areas: (i) Agriculture/food production, (ii) Transport, and (iii) Waste management sectors and was developed in Jordan through a multi-stakeholder nationally driven process with over 300 participants. Switch to Circular Economy: Under SwitchMed II, a short document "How Jordan is switching to a Circular Economy" was prepared to present an overview on how the country is implementing activities/policies/programs on SCP and Circular Economy. In this document you will see 10 success stories inspired by the work of SwitchMed in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. They show how what began in workshops developed into plans that created a ripple that flowed out around the country. This short publication shows that opportunities for countries from sustainable consumption and production are rich and varied. The Switch to SCP is off and running. SwitchMed is proud to have supported Jordan in its work to build a society where people and planet thrive and prosper together. Jordan has developed comprehensive plans to mainstream SCP at all levels of society. The country developed a National Green Growth road map and action plan which has been endorsed by the national Cabinet. During the coronavirus pandemic, Jordan has worked to study the environmental impact on resources, air quality and waste generation. Many campaigns educated citizens on the best disposal options for hazardous and medical waste to limit the spread of the virus. Green Jordan is one of the most important axes and objectives of the economic modernization vision 2033, which was announced under the auspices of His Majesty. This vision aims to unleash all potentials in Jordan towards sustainable economic development, by focusing on the principle of sustainability and green transformation. Significant work has also been done on plastic waste reduction, and on reducing plastic in marine litter, and this resulted in the Plastic Shopping Bags Bylaw No. (45) for the year 2017, which aims at reducing the amount of single-use plastic bags used by consumers around the country. SCP-NAP demonstration projects: The implementing partners - Ministry of Environment and EDAMA (Association for Energy, Water and Environment) coordinated two projects: Improving solid waste management in the Aqaba hotel industry and developing a national solid waste management training program. Turning the waste into an asset in the Aqaba hotel industry: The purpose of the project was to pilot the institutionalization of solid waste management concepts and practices in the hotel industry in Aqaba to reduce the amounts of waste generated while adopting sustainable solid waste management practices. The relevant hotel staff’s capacity was built to support in the sustainability of the project. To ensure the replication of the project in other touristic areas in Jordan and the expansion of the project, EDAMA selected the pilot hotels who have branches in other areas like Petra and Dead Sea: (i) InterContinental Aqaba Resort; (ii) Movenpick Aqaba; (iii) Double Tree by Hilton; and (iv) Kempinski Aqaba. Empowerment of Women: A special focus was put on increasing empowerment of women by incorporating the local community in recycling/up-cycling activities. Several up-cycling training sessions for CBOs were held targeting women living in Aqaba city and the surrounding areas. The participants were trained on how to produce crafts from waste. These workshops achieved four main goals: (i) women empowerment, (ii) local community support, (iii) sharing of new approaches for solid waste management on waste up-cycling and (iv) provide a potential source of income for women and their families. Eco-innovation in SMEs: Co-financed by SAICM Quick Start Programme and UNEP it aimed at promoting non-chemical alternatives or less hazardous alternatives in the Jordanian industry, through the implementation of UNEP’s eco-Innovation approach in SMEs. It improved capacities of SMEs to reduce risks of use of chemicals and move towards the replacement of chemicals in products and processes by less hazardous ones and to develop economically viable products and processes that are sustainable and less hazardous on the long term. For detailed project information please download the factsheets of the demo projects.
The global rules for measuring climate performance in construction have shifted. The Greenhouse Gas Protocol has introduced an international framework for land‑use emissions and carbon removals, transforming how whole life carbon, embodied carbon, and net zero whole life carbon are reported across sustainable construction projects. This update reshapes whole life carbon assessment by demanding transparent accounting for biogenic carbon, embodied carbon in materials, and end‑of‑life factors within environmental product declarations (EPDs). Designers must now consider durability, leakage and additionality alongside sustainable material specification and sourcing choices, recalibrating the carbon footprint of construction and influencing future low embodied carbon materials strategies. Corporate claims around carbon neutral construction or net zero carbon buildings will require verifiable data aligned with recognised lifecycle assessment standards such as BREEAM and the emerging BREEAM v7 methodology.
Heightened legal scrutiny is reshaping sustainability marketing. German regulators have already required major retailers to withdraw misleading “net‑zero” messaging, a signal that accountability now defines credibility. Producers of cement, steel and timber promoted as low carbon construction materials or green building products must be able to evidence their environmental sustainability in construction strategies through auditable metrics, reinforcing trust in sustainable building practices and tightening the parameters for eco‑design for buildings. This mirrors the developments covered in Shein sustainability claims challenged in Germany over greenwashing, underscoring how compliance demands are expanding across sectors.
Physical climate hazards are escalating as modelling indicates that several tipping points could occur below two degrees of warming. Repeated flooding across the UK demonstrates why green infrastructure, blue‑green flood‑resilient design, and circular economy in construction principles are essential for defending building lifecycle performance and long‑term asset value. For investors and planners focused on sustainable urban development, adaptability now equals profitability. This urgency is consistent with findings in a recent study warning tipping points could occur below 2°C of warming.
Projects integrating renewable building materials, end‑of‑life reuse in construction, and circular construction strategies are emerging as the benchmark for low-impact construction that aligns sustainable building design with decarbonising the built environment. These initiatives highlight the growing relevance of Circular Economy principles in mitigating risk and optimising long-term environmental outcomes.
The sector’s competitive advantage is pivoting toward measurable outcomes. Transparent life cycle cost evaluations, resource efficiency in construction, and authentic carbon footprint reduction efforts are overtaking hollow marketing claims. Stakeholders prioritising sustainable architecture, sustainable design, and eco-friendly construction grounded in life cycle thinking in construction will secure finance more easily and maintain market relevance in a tightening regulatory climate defined by verifiable environmental impact of construction performance.
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