Essaghouri, L.; Xu, F.; Zhu, C.; Aletoum, E. and Li, X. (2026) Two decades of embodied carbon in MENA's construction sector: Regional insights and policy implications. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 152(10): 04026171, ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
The construction sector is a major contributor to global CO2 emissions, yet embodied emissions in construction supply chains remain poorly quantified in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), where hydrocarbon-based growth, rapid urbanization, and recurrent reconstruction have created one of the world's most dynamic construction markets. This study develops a regionally disaggregated, trade-Adjusted, consumption-based assessment of embodied carbon associated with construction final demand and upstream supply chains across 23 MENA economies (2000-2021). An environmentally extended multiregional input-output model based on the Eora26 database is combined with international CO2 inventories to trace construction-related embodied emissions through domestic production and global supply chains. The framework separates domestic, intra-MENA, and extra-MENA embodied imports; quantifies supplier concentration (Herfindahl-Hirschman index, three-and five-supplier concentration ratios); and applies segmented-regression breakpoint analysis to relate emissions trajectories to macroeconomic, conflict, and sanctions episodes. Results show embodied construction emissions increased from 88.8 to 232.1 Mt CO2 (2000-2021), totaling 3,498 Mt CO2 cumulatively. Six system-shaper economies (Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran, UAE, Algeria, Egypt) account for about 70% of the total, while import-dependent economies (e.g., Kuwait, Israel) derive over half their construction footprint from imports. Construction materials and energy and water dominate the embodied footprint, with several countries exhibiting high carbon intensity per unit of construction output. Supplier portfolios are often highly concentrated, three to five partners provide most imported embodied CO2, exposing MENA construction to external decarbonization and carbon-border policies. The analysis establishes an empirically grounded typology of construction-emission archetypes across the region and highlights differentiated mitigation pathways: industrial decarbonization in system shapers; material efficiency in fast-growing latecomers; green trade governance in import-dependent economies; and low-carbon reconstruction in conflict-Affected states.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | carbon leakage; construction sector; embodied carbon; mena region; multi-regional input-output; supply chain emissions |
| Index terms: | inventory, North Africa, construction supply chain, governance, import, Algeria, Egypt, consumption, reconstruction, archetype, construction output, policy implication, urbanization, Kuwait, construction material, embodied emission, Middle East, construction market, efficiency, mitigation, database, CO2 emissions, Saudi Arabia, construction sector, Turkey, Israel, embodied carbon |
| Subjects: | construction logistics, industry analysis, environmental impact, air quality, economic analysis, financial risk, inventory management, policy studies, business, consumer economics, Geography, data management, urban planning, modelling and simulation, physical geography and landforms, building materials, market analysis, building construction, performance management, operations management |
| Topics: | Cost Management, Governance, Geographical Context, Digital Applications, Stakeholder Management, Business Strategy, Research Practice, Project Management, Engineering Principles, Supply Chain Management, Quality Management, Sustainability |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCT |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here