Assessing the potential for eco-industrial parks in Algiers, Algeria

Abstract

Eco-industrial parks (EIPs) are considered effective means to enhance economic growth, improve competitiveness, maintain environmental quality, and improve social quality. They have many direct and indirect benefits, which makes the majority or most countries seek to implement these projects. Given its importance, international organizations such as United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), World Bank Group (WBG), and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) have developed an international framework for EIP projects which consists of several tools. Among the tools of the framework is EIP selection tool that evaluates the current performance of industrial parks, whether already existing or newly made ones in the following areas: management, environmental, social, economic, replicability, and visibility. The tool highlights the score per category of criteria of the selected park and therefore the scope of intervention on the park. In this study, the EIP selection tool will be used to study the performance of the industrial parks located in the Province of Algiers to consider their potential to be transformed into EIP. Upon applying the tool to assess 3 industrial zones (Rouiba – Reghaia, Oued Semar & Elharrache) and 2 zones of activities (Kaidi & Dar Elbaida) in the province of Algiers, we found that all of the 3 industrial zones have the capabilities of transferring into EIP but the most appropriate zone is Rouiba – Reghaia zone.