Structural Economic Challenges of Integrating Environmental Sustainability in GCC Countries

Abstract: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have witnessed significant economic growth and development over the past few decades, propelled primarily by the exploitation of their vast oil and gas reserves. However, this growth has posed formidable challenges in terms of sustainability, raising concerns about the structural impediments that hinder the effective implementation of sustainable practices in the region. This research aims to delve into the structural economic challenges that impede the successful integration of sustainability initiatives within the GCC countries. This paper attempts to identify the key challenges of sustainability implementation in GCC countries through Systematic Literature Review (SLR) using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) and accordingly develop a suitable diagraph using Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) followed by MICMAC analysis and check the dependencies of the factors on each other. Total of 16 challenges of environmental sustainability were identified through literature review. Interpretive structural modelling was applied on these challenges which identified Rentierism as the driving factor on which other challenges lie. Therefore, this study examines these challenges and provides a comprehensive framework for enhancing sustainability implementation in GCC Countries. Keywords: Structural Economic Challenges, Environmental Sustainability, GCC, ISM