London, March 2010

Over the next decade, as the GCC population soars by 30% to over 50m people, the Gulf region will see an increasing strain on its supplies of basic commodities, particularly electricity, food and water. The ways in which the region faces up to these challenges will have a major impact on its prosperity and quality of life, not only in 2020 but in the decades to come.

This report addresses the outlook for these basic commodities in the next decade, and explores policy options to ensure that supply keeps up with demand. The report also addresses the challenges in carrying out such policies, including funding massive new infrastructure and shaping public attitudes to encourage conservation.

Many of these challenges are well known to the region’s governments, which have already started to take the needed steps. While much remains to be done, the young populations and significant capital resources of the GCC states suggest that both the will and the means are there to meet the region’s resource challenges.

The GCC in 2020: Resources for the future is a research paper written by the Economist Intelligence Unit. It was sponsored by the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) Authority. It is the third in a series of four white papers on the GCC to 2020.

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GCC 2020

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