2023ICERD8-C04 -- Guidelines to Reduce the Carbon Footprint of Kuwait

Carbon footprint can be defined as the amount of carbon dioxide emitted directly or indirectly by an activity through its lifecycle. It directly contributes to global warming, which is a major concern worldwide. Kuwait’s share of the world’s total carbon footprint was around 21,623 metric tons per capita in the year 2018. This high rate of carbon emissions is partially due to low awareness by both the State and its citizens and residents. The goal behind this study is to highlight Kuwait’s high carbon footprint, study it across different sectors, and suggest guidelines for these sectors to lower their share of the problem. The sectors studied are the major contributors to the carbon footprint, and they are the government, power, oil and gas, road transportation, construction, and information communication technology sectors. The proposed guidelines can play a key role in reducing the carbon emissions in the State of Kuwait in order to fulfill its pledge of signing the Paris Climate Agreement to limit the global warming temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius.