Several Middle Eastern countries, including United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Turkey, are investing in renewable energy as part of their energy transition strategies to address climate change.

The Middle East Green initiative is likely focused on climate change mitigation and carbon emissions reduction, as evidenced by the industry's discussions on topics such as methane emissions reduction, green hydrogen, and renewables.

Saudi Arabia launched the Middle East Green Initiative, aiming to address climate change through projects like planting 50 billion trees and reclaiming degraded land.

"The Middle East is promoting clean energy, green hydrogen, and renewables, with five Arab countries expected to drive 72% of the region's growth in renewable energy and the region seeing a record increase in renewables in 2022."

"Saudi Arabia aims to achieve 50% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030, as part of its energy transition strategy."

The UAE plans to generate 50% of its electricity from renewable and nuclear energy by 2050.

"Egypt and Saudi Arabia are the Middle Eastern countries investing in solar energy as part of their energy transition strategies."

The UAE is investing AED 200 billion in renewable energy as part of its transition to a low-carbon future.

Gulf Cooperation Council countries are transitioning to renewable energy, with goals to increase the proportion of renewable energy in their energy mix, such as relying on renewable and nuclear energy by 50% to generate electricity by 2050.

"Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 program aims to develop renewable energy sectors by 2030, with a goal of increasing the proportion of renewable energy from 0.3% to 50%."

"Saudi Arabia, a major oil and gas exporter, has set a target to reach net-zero emissions by 2060, marking a significant step in the country's energy transition."

Several Middle Eastern countries, including United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Turkey, are investing in renewable energy as part of their energy transition strategies to address climate change.

Title:

Content: Israelis, Palestinians and Arabs “coming together ” to tackle climate change | Politics and economics | In-depth analysis with a broader perspective than DW | DW | 24.03.2023
1.
Inhalt
2.
Navigation
3.
Weitere Inhalte
4.
Metanavigation
5.
Suche
6.
Choose from 30 Languages
Announcement
Politics and Economics
Israelis, Palestinians and Arabs ‘ coming together ’ to tackle climate change
The United States has launched a new initiative that brings together Israel and Arab countries to address climate change in the region, but the initiative faces the challenges of building trust between the parties as well as finding sources of funding for joint projects.
Agriculture could be a common area for addressing climate change among Middle Eastern countries
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is one of the most vulnerable regions to the effects of climate change. The region ’ s countries have been hit hard by rising temperatures, water scarcity and desertification, with more serious consequences ahead.
Organisers of a regional conference on agriculture, water and food security said the issue of tackling the effects of climate change was pushing for more cooperation.
The conference, which brought together experts from Israel, the Palestinian territories and Arab and Muslim countries, aims to develop practical programs to address regional challenges.
William Wechsler, director of the N7 initiative, which organized the conference last week in Abu Dhabi, said that “a lot can be achieved in the region through collaboration. ”
The initiative promotes cooperation between Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Bahrain, Sudan and the UAE within the framework of the Abraham Accords.
In this context, Wechsler said there are many areas for joint cooperation such as water, lowering food prices and providing security for the people of the region, adding that agriculture is an ideal basis for cooperation in the field of climate change.
Not only is agriculture the only area where progress can be made quickly, but it can also affect the people of the Middle East and North Africa, he said, warning that “if we miss the opportunity to address climate change right now, the window of opportunity will eventually close. ”
While there are challenges to strengthening cooperation between governments and the private sector, Wechsler believes that people who are actively engaged in tackling climate change and its implications are eager to collaborate.
In an interview with DW, he said that "scientists and engineers are considered scientific figures who are interested in ultimately solving problems regardless of affiliations."
Many people think the Middle East is far from the threat of climate change, but here ’ s the truth.
Financing joint ventures
Fawzi Bakkawi, director of Morocco ’ s National Institute of Agricultural Research, believes that his country could benefit from Israel in this area, adding: “There is Israeli experience in particular in the efficient use of water in irrigation systems and the development of more flexible and appropriate agricultural crops. ”
According to a report issued by the World Bank last year, Morocco is among the countries suffering from high water stress, with Morocco ’ s water resources among the weakest in the world, while this affects the agricultural sector, especially as the phenomenon of climate change worsens.
“Israel has made significant progress in biotechnology or genomics and all of these areas can be beneficial to Morocco as well, ” he said.
However, funds for joint Moroccan-Israeli projects or to promote academic exchange remain limited.
Bakawi said he applied to the Merck Foundation, which funds projects between Israel and U.S.-based Arab signatories to the Abraham Accords, for a grant.
Morocco and other countries could benefit from technological advances in irrigation in Israel
Yousef Wahbi, a researcher at the National Meteorological Center in Abu Dhabi, said during a podcast organized by the Middle East Institute that “most research departments in the region have limited avenues for funding research conducted by foreign organizations. ”
At the climate summit in Glasgow in 2021, rich countries pledged $40 billion a year by 2025, while the issues of financing joint projects between countries to combat climate change are more complex.
He explained that most forms of financing come in the form of loans to implement mitigation projects with climate change, such as reducing the use of fossil fuels by relying on solar and wind energy, which is profitable for the lending countries.
But Wehbi said funding for climate change adaptation projects was low, as "sources of funding are difficult to find and these projects are less attractive to funding countries than projects that generate profits for lending countries."
He called for enhanced cooperation in scientific research aimed at addressing climate change globally "for the exchange of ideas between the scientific community globally".
Egypt is seeking to address wheat shortages and inflation by growing crops that need less water.
Confronting climate change to reduce conflicts
Jamal al-Saghir, former World Bank director, said that cooperation between countries is the best solution, adding that "regional cooperation is in the interest of all and carries with it more benefits than national or bilateral projects."
In an interview with DW, Sagheer, who is also an expert on agriculture and climate change and a professor at Canada ’ s McGill University, said most countries in the Middle East “are not doing enough so far in the face of climate change despite the acceleration of this phenomenon. ”
A new climate study shows that the Middle East is warming twice as fast as the global average, with potentially devastating effects on its people and economies.
As a result, more than 400 million people in the region are at risk of extreme heatwaves, prolonged droughts and rising sea levels, the study said.
However, Sagheer believes that the region can overcome these issues through technology and believes that Israel and the Gulf states can take the lead, adding that “Israel is a leader in desalination and irrigation and the countries of the region will benefit greatly. ”
He pointed out that the UAE has invested heavily in the field of renewable energy, stressing that "joint cooperation will lead to the introduction of new ideas in the field of research and development, which can be implemented later in other countries."
He asked: “What are these countries waiting for?
We have to start now. ”
According to the study, the temperature in the Middle East is increasing at an average of 0.45 ° C per decade.
Building Confidence
Tarek Abu Hamad, executive director of the Wadi Araba Institute for Environmental Studies in Israel, believes cooperation among other scientists across the region to tackle climate change could pave the way for “confidence-building efforts. ”
"We live in a small region that is a hotspot when it comes to climate change, so we have no other choice but to cooperate with each other to deal with these challenges," he said.
Alex Pletsas, one of the researchers involved in the N7 initiative, noted that the conference is hopeful: “The great thing I saw in Abu Dhabi was sitting with an Arab diplomat from a Gulf country in a traditional Arab dress and an Israeli businesswoman late at night.
to see how to improve the lives of the people of the region. "
Jennifer Hollis / m.
p.

The Middle East Green initiative is likely focused on climate change mitigation and carbon emissions reduction, as evidenced by the industry's discussions on topics such as methane emissions reduction, green hydrogen, and renewables.

Title:

Content: It was touch-and-go over the weekend in Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt, as negotiations over a final package of environmental commitments nearly failed to produce any significant agreement between the nations gathered to avoid an impending climate disaster. In the end, countries agreed to a “loss and damage” compensation framework to be funded by developed, high-emissions nations in favour of those countries suffering the most serious impact of climate change. The initiative was championed by the US, UK and Canada and is a major step forward in the recognition that those nations who used a carbon-based economic development model over the past century should quantify the indirect costs beyond their borders that impact other peoples and nations. The mechanism for the compensation has yet to be created, but the admission puts pressure on first-world nations to not only reduce emissions at an accelerated pace to meet the commitments signed at the Paris Accord of 2015, but to accelerate their progress to a carbon-neutral future. This is the vision that the promoters of COP27 were showing to the world, but there is an important loophole in the final package, know as the “low emissions” energy option alongside renewables as an energy source of the future.

What is low-emissions energy? Hydrogen, for one, is a major fuel in that mix, and energy producers in the Middle East are embracing a new energy reality. I was part of the Canadian pavilion at the ADIPEC petroleum industry show that just concluded in early November. 150,000 exhibitors and visitors gather for this major conference where the major oil producing nations, their state-owned oil companies, public and private conglomerates and suppliers gather to discuss the future of their industry and make deals for investment, equipment and new exploration. The industry in the MENA (Middle East-North Africa) region understand they must embrace change if they are going to remain relevant and indeed, accepted as a source of energy in the 21st century. Topics discussed at the conference included methane emissions reduction, technologies to achieve net zero through green hydrogen and renewables, low carbon fuels in combination with wind and solar for developing African nations, decarbonizing downstream production and sustainable industrial development through the circular economy. When I started exhibiting at this show in 2017, these were not the main topics of conversation. The Middle East recognizes that oil and gas is a finite resource that has at most, a 50-year future in the consumer energy mix, though military use and certain consumer products will certainly still be petroleum-based.

Danielle Smith, Alberta’s premier gave an interview recently where she reminded listeners that oil and gas is present in thousands of products beyond transportation fuels and halting extraction and exploration projects is premature. Renewables are never going to replace every single product, notably plastics, that are petroleum based. Oil and gas producers are ready and willing to be partners in the transition to a net-zero economy if we would just stop demonizing them. Canada was criticized for having representatives of our oil and gas sector as part of our delegation, which is completely short-sighted. Canadian producers are committed to reducing emissions per unit of energy produced and should be rewarded, not chastised for their efforts.

Part of not punishing our national petroleum industry means providing them with access to markets. Canada has failed in its energy negotiations with the United States to the extent that President Joe Biden asked the Saudis to produce more rather than facilitating trans-border access for Canadian oil and gas. From a North American energy perspective, Donald Trump was better for Canada than Joe Biden, we were on the way to a revived, integrated North American energy market before Biden cancelled the Keystone pipeline project on his first day in office. Michigan Governor Whitmer’s efforts to close Line 5, a critical link for distribution across the US Midwest, Ontario and points east demonstrates how far environmental zealotry has displaced economic rationality and energy security in the minds of many Democratic politicians.

Oil and gas are going to be with us for a long time to come. The enthusiasm I experienced at the ADIPEC Show recognizes that reality despite the urgent environmental concerns expressed at COP27. The environmental warriors who glue their hands to the wall in front of acclaimed artworks do not seem to know that the adhesive they are using is petroleum-based. Elmer’s doesn’t do the job, nor plant-based mixtures. We need a politician who’s going to call them out on that one.

Recommended for you

Saudi Arabia launched the Middle East Green Initiative, aiming to address climate change through projects like planting 50 billion trees and reclaiming degraded land.

Title:

Content: Dust storms.
sources and danger.
|
At the beginning of this year's spring season, the incidence of dust storms increased significantly.
Their frequency varies from year to year, but generally increases in the transitional periods between seasons, especially spring and autumn, for many reasons, some natural and others of a human nature, that is, by man.
Dust storms are fast winds that transport dust and plankton, causing a lack of visibility at short distances.
Despite the great controversy over the causes of dust or dust storms and the fact that the camel bears full responsibility for their occurrence, as stated in one of the videos circulated on social media, the reasons are not limited to the poor camel alone, even if it is one of the reasons!
The causes of dust storms are many, including: (1) Desertification as a result of drought resulting from low rainfall.
(2) Desertification due to human activities associated with overgrazing as a result of increasing numbers of camels and sheep on pasture capacity.
(3) Extensive agricultural activities, especially ploughing the land and leaving it exposed for long periods.
(4) Soil movement as a result of development and military actions and absurd car tracks in deserts that led to the breaking and dismantling of the soil and the destruction of vegetation cover.
(5) The reduction of the surface groundwater table, which led to the drying of the soil and thus the impact on the vegetation cover.
Globally, sub-Saharan Africa is the main contributor to Earth ’ s dust storms, which travel to the Americas via the Atlantic Ocean via tropical east winds.
But the Fertile Crescent has also become a source of dust, due to the halving of agricultural production as a result of climate change.
Iraq is one of the sources of dust storms as a result of the decline of the level of rivers, which led to the drought of the marshes and lakes in Iraq and Iran, and add to the list of sources open deserts of the Kingdom, which suffer environmental degradation as a result of human tampering of unfair grazing and wood and the like.
Dust storms are one of the factors responsible for increased allergic reactions, asthma attacks and chronic breathing problems, as well as blood vessels and heart disease.
Dust storms are also carriers of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, germs and viruses that cause certain diseases.
Besides, dust storms have economic effects, they adversely affect agricultural production by transporting agricultural pests, reducing photosynthetic activity, destroying crops, as well as affecting infrastructure, by reducing visibility, disrupting energy and air and road transport systems, burying railways, as well as contributing to the deterioration of the performance of solar panels, as well as damaging residential property.
There is no doubt that dust storms and their increased frequency are a warning sign that requires a rapid response through a review of environmental regulations, the need to raise the environmental awareness of the population, the organization of grazing seasons based on the identification of the pastoral capacity of each region, as well as innovative solutions to mitigate desertification that benefit from tremendous technical progress.
Finally, it follows from the above that the problem is not country-specific, but a regional problem that requires concerted efforts.
The Green Middle East initiative by Prince Mohammed bin Salman is designed to design innovative solutions to address climate change and promote environmental sustainability through a number of projects, including: planting 50 billion trees across the Middle East region and reclaiming 200 million hectares of degraded land through afforestation, which contributes to a 2.5 per cent reduction in global carbon emissions.
Publish it.

"The Middle East is promoting clean energy, green hydrogen, and renewables, with five Arab countries expected to drive 72% of the region's growth in renewable energy and the region seeing a record increase in renewables in 2022."

Title:

Content: Sunday, 24 September 2023 02: 03 GMT
2030 Arab Goal to Advance Renewable Energy Capabilities Globally
(MENAFN- Al-Bayan) $(resize) .css ('font-size', newFontSize); return false;});});
Several Arab countries are accelerating to keep pace with the international aspiration to achieve the goal of tripling global renewable energy capacity by 2030, which is receiving widespread attention, amid various plans and strategies at national levels in many countries.
The Arab countries that are likely to play the largest role in this regard, according to industry experts, are the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan, Algeria and Morocco, by injecting more investments into this vital and promising sector.
During the recent G20 summit in New Delhi in September, G20 leaders expressed their support for all efforts to increase renewable energy capacity and pledged to accelerate measures to address environmental crises and challenges.
With this growing international interest in the energy transition, the plans are facing many challenges, including (but not limited to) access to finance, especially for low- and middle-income countries, with significant investment required over the coming years.
(Al-Bayan), a group of American academics and specialists in the renewable energy sector were surveyed about the main opportunities and challenges on the way to increase the desired capacity, the investments required to achieve that goal, and the extent of its expected environmental and economic repercussions.
Huge spikes.
Achieving the ambitious goal of doubling global renewable energy capacity in the near term will be reflected concretely in several contexts, explains Gregory Nemet, a specialist in the analysis of international energy systems and environmental policies at the University of Wisconsin. By 2030, it will deliver significant benefits in terms of jobs, economic development, and improved air quality, as well as putting the world on the path to addressing climate change in the long term.
“The costs of renewable energy, especially solar and wind, have dropped dramatically over the last 10 years, and most experts expect them to continue to fall, ” says Nemet, explaining that a clean, affordable source of energy creates huge opportunities, allowing global renewable energy capacity to be tripled by taking full advantage of it.
According to Nemet, the 3-fold increase also presents challenges, such as “access to finance for low- and middle-income countries, and investments in electricity grids to accommodate this growth ”, stressing that“ challenges can be overcome through sustained efforts and supportive policies, as we have seen many examples in the recent past. ” A sign of broad international cooperation is required in this regard.
Last year, renewable energy capacity (globally) increased by 9.6 percent to 3,372 gigawatts, an increase of a record 295 gigawatts, despite global uncertainty in light of geopolitical developments and the Ukrainian war, according to data published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) on March 22.
Almost half of the new capacity from renewable energy in Asia has been added, with China contributing more than 141 gigawatts to the new capacity of the entire continent.
Renewable energy sources in Europe and the United States grew by 57.3 gigawatts and 29.1 gigawatts respectively.
African capacity increased slightly by 2.7 gigawatts.
According to IRENA data, although hydropower accounts for the largest share of total global renewable energy capacity at 1,250 gigawatts, solar and wind power continue to dominate new capacity, contributing 90% of total capacity last year.
Solar capacity came first with an increase of 22%, followed by wind power with an increase of 9%.
Policies and Incentives
University of Massachusetts academic David Turcotte, whose research interests include climate change and environmental justice, believes that there are many opportunities in the context of increasing global renewable energy capacity, due to increases in oil prices as a result of the Ukrainian crisis, which makes renewable energy sources more cost-effective, as well as worsening economic and human costs. Recurrent, more severe climate change disasters.
“Many developed countries have expanded policies and incentives to encourage increased capacity to produce renewable energy.
However, we still face a lot of challenges […]
That threatens to derail efforts to increase renewable energy capacity, and the transition to a clean energy economy.
Among these challenges is the lack of adequate funding to support increases in renewable energy capacity in developing countries, a challenge he described as “serious. ”
While international efforts are accelerating to target investments in the context of increasing global renewable energy capacity, those investments are still below the 1.5 ° C target.
This is shown by data from IRENA and the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) released in February, which estimate the total volume of investments in renewable energy sectors during 2022 at $499 billion, up from $430 billion in the previous year 2021.
Developments in the world over the past year, especially with the start of the Russian military operation in Ukraine in February 2022, have also encouraged many countries to move more towards renewable energy sources, to overcome the energy crisis caused by the consequences of the war, in the interest of the desired goal of increasing capacity.
Required investments
John Hall, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the Center for Energy Production and Infrastructure, University of North Carolina, United States, notes that “the goal of tripling global renewable energy capacity by 2030 is a challenge, and achieving the goal requires an intensive global strategy, focused on significant financial investment, technological innovation targeting these communities, inclusive policies, and collaborative efforts. ”
Speaking with Al-Bayan, he stressed that community participation and infrastructure development in underserved areas should be central to the strategy, leading not only to the promotion of the energy transition, but also to economic upgrading.
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimates that $4 trillion per year will be required in the clean energy sector until 2030 to strengthen global capacity in this regard.
Logistical challenges
Warren Mabey, an academic at Queen ’ s University who specialises in energy policy and natural resource management, told Al Bayan that “it is technically possible to triple global renewable energy capacity over the next six years, and this will put enormous pressure on the global supply chains that support the sector. and manufactured goods, necessary for the transformation process).
Mabe believes that “the cost will be enormous, and the logistical challenge may be too great to overcome ”, stressing the need for“ strong and consistent leadership from countries around the world to achieve this. ”
Arabic Steps
At the Arab level, five Arab countries (Egypt, Morocco, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates) are expected to account for about 72% of the region ’ s total growth in renewable energy, according to the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC), which expects renewable energy capacity to reach 45 gigawatts by 2027, an increase of 3 times. Compared to the last five years.
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimates that in 2022, the Middle East saw the highest increase in renewables ever, with 3.2 gigawatts of new capacity added last year, a 12.8 percent increase over the previous year.
According to the Arab Renewable Energy Authority (AREA), the volume of investments by Arab countries in renewable energy projects is expected to reach $1 trillion by 2040, in light of the interest of Arab governments in this file, to achieve global environmental goals.
A Great Leap in 10 Years
According to the current data, the renewable energy sector in the region is expected to witness a huge leap in the next 10 years, at a time when eight Arab countries are leading this trend, according to the researcher in international relations and political economy, Abu Bakr al-Deeb, adviser to the Arab Center for Studies and Research, who tells Al-Bayan that the countries strongly candidate to move in this direction are:, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan, Algeria and Morocco).
Aldeeb also cites the volume of electricity generated from renewable sources in the Middle East and Arab countries, which is expected to increase six-fold in 10 years through heavy reliance on solar photovoltaic energy, noting that the Arab region has “great potential ” to help launch major projects to produce energy from the sun. And wind, among these possibilities or advantages (the right climate, the bright sun most days of the year, as well as human expertise, and financial capabilities also for some countries).
The UAE is at the top of the list of Arab countries that produce electricity from solar energy, while Egypt is the largest country in the Arab world in terms of electricity production from wind energy, according to a report issued by (Global Energy Monitor), which Al-Deeb cites when explaining the progress made by some Arab countries in this sector, The UAE, Egypt, Jordan and Morocco are among the first Arab countries to establish solar and wind power plants.
According to the report, renewable power plant projects for Arab countries are likely to achieve 92% of the region ’ s total target by 2030 when completed.
One of the most reliable projects in this regard is the Green Hydrogen projects, through which the Middle East is seeking global leadership, with export revenues likely to reach $200 billion by 2050 for the Gulf countries, according to a study by Dii Desert Energy.
In this context, Al-Deeb notes the abundance of renewable energy resources, clean hydrogen, human expertise, capital, and their geographical proximity to the European market, all of which provide them with important and growing opportunities.
MENAFN24092023000110011019ID1107129201
Legal Disclaimer:
MENA Financial Services Network provides information "as is" without any representations or warranties...
This disclaims our responsibility for the privacy practices or content of the sites included in our network, including images and videos.
For any queries regarding the use and reuse of this source of information, please contact the provider of the above article.

"Saudi Arabia aims to achieve 50% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030, as part of its energy transition strategy."

Title:

Content: The Guardian: The Middle East is facing a ‘ resurrection ’
And Mecca may not be livable by the end of the century.
Friday 29 October 2021 05: 27 pm / Jerusalem time + 2GMT
London / Sama /
Titled “Resurrection Soon: A Reluctant Middle East Forced to Awareness of the Climate Crisis, ” The Guardian ’ s diplomatic editor Patrick Wintour said that Hurricane Shaheen hit Oman some time ago, the first tropical cyclone to reach this point west into the Gulf.
In Basra, southern Iraq, power has been cut off frequently as a result of this summer ’ s temperature of 50 degrees Celsius, forcing residents to move in their cars to get cold.
Kuwait broke the record for the hottest day of 2016 of 53.6 degrees Celsius, and this summer temperatures were very high, with floods in Jeddah and more recently in Mecca at a time when temperatures in Saudi Arabia have increased by 2 percent and the maximum temperature of 2.5 percent since the 1980s.
Qatar is the world ’ s highest emitting country and the world ’ s largest producer of liquefied gas (LNG), and public spaces are equipped with air conditioners.
In Tehran, pollution annually kills 4,000 people a year, and in Khuzestan province, citizens have blocked streets and burned tires due to drought as a result of mismanagement, U.S. sanctions and a deadly atmosphere.
In the United Arab Emirates, the climate crisis is estimated to cost $6 billion a year, the highest in terms of health costs.
The salinity of the Gulf increased with the proliferation of desalination plants by 20%, which affected marine life and biodiversity.
Conditions are expected to worsen at a time of rising temperatures, humidity and sea levels.
Warming rates in the Middle East are twice as high as in the world.
By the end of the century, if the dangerous predictions are correct, Mecca may not be fit for life, making the Hajj season dangerous if not catastrophic.
Large swaths of the Middle East have come to resemble the Afar region of Ethiopia, a vast area without human settlement that pushes towards the Red Sea.
The glittering cities of the Gulf may face the dilemma of rising water levels themselves.
We do not speak of the day of judgment, but of the day of judgment.
Jim Crane, an energy researcher at Rice University in Houston, said: “This is really a difficult topic because the interests of the ruling elites are at odds with the interests of the citizens.
The ruling elite depends on oil resources for the survival of their regimes.
They want to keep the oil trade in order to keep them in power.
Their system is based on oil leasing, but the population ’ s ultimate interests lie in a sustainable climate. ”
Zeina Khalil Haj, founder of Greenpeace in the Middle East, believes that the region is suffering from double pressure: “With increasing demands for energy change, a region that relies on fossil energy, oil and carbon for its economic survival, but cannot continue this dependency.
There will be no oil market but with climate change, they are required to increase efforts to survive.
The extreme climate is changing people ’ s lives on a daily basis and there is no choice but to go green. ”
The West ’ s persistent appetite for fossil energy has led the region to build car-based cities, shiny skyscrapers filled with air conditioners and shopping malls.
It must look for ways to avoid self-destruction, and it must be, according to Thomas Friedman, the Prometheus moment for the Middle East and the search for creative and creative ways.
In fact, the region has been reminded for a decade that it has to make the transition from oil.
Although the moment when oil demand will reach its highest point remains controversial, and depends on a number of assumptions about regulation, technology and customer behavior, the point I mentioned is 2040, after which demand will decline.
But the International Energy Organization ’ s “Net Zero ” report sees the peak as 2050 and by comparison suggests a reduction in oil demand from 88 million barrels per day in 2020 to 72 million barrels per day by 2030, and 24 million barrels per day in 2050, a 75% decline between 2020-2050.
The report argues that the Gulf has three factors underpinning the transformation: capital, sun, and vast, empty spaces.
Until recently, the Gulf states, including Iran, did not feel the desire to shift away from fossil energy to this extent.
When asked, Saudi Oil Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said it was “a sequel to La La Land, ” meaning that the report and its writers do not know what is happening.
"If I wanted to worry about the IEA's expectations, I would be on Prozac all the time," he said.
Qatar ’ s Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi said reducing oil and gas production levels would affect the supply process and laughed at “the enthusiasm surrounding the transition. ”
The Organization of Petroleum Producing and Exporting Countries (OPEC) forecasts that the process of oil demand will increase significantly through 2045 and the share of oil in global energy demand will fall from 30% to 28%, which is not a green revolution.
Gulf states still rely on gas and oil exports, accounting for 70 percent of goods exported from Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman.
Oil resources account for more than 70% of the total resources of Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain.
In Vision 2030, published by Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2016, he promised to turn the country into an important industrial hub.
World Bank figures show that Saudi Arabia relies on 75% of its oil resources for its budget.
Aramco, which is making its mark on global carbon emissions, is not diversifying at the same pace as Shell or BP.
Instead, it announced it would increase crude oil production capacity from 12 million barrels per day to 13 million barrels per day by 2027.
Haj believes that the shift away from oil may require a psychological shift from the consumer mentality, “The Gulf has not yet reached this kind of discussion.
If you see the way of life in the UAE and Qatar, it is based on inexhaustible consumption, and I fear we are still a long way from that in terms of politics and readiness. ”
Iran is the largest country in the world in terms of carbon emissions by population, followed by the UAE in second place and Saudi Arabia in 13th place.
Of course, Gulf rulers at events such as the Glasgow climate conference can defend themselves by saying that their region is not the primary source of carbon emissions, and historically, collectively, accounts for 4.7% less than carbon emissions and pollution from the United States, Europe and China.
The Middle East exports oil, but pollution is the responsibility of those who import it.
But the region ’ s leaders have come to grips with the problem not because of Western pressure but in response to citizens ’ demands, the goose has realized that the eggs, the oil, are no longer golden but brown.
The UAE is the first country to say it has moved to ratify the Paris Treaty and is the least dependent Gulf state on oil for its government resources.
Last week, she announced the “Net Zero by 2050 Initiative ” with an initial investment budget of $163 billion and appointed the Minister of Climate Change and Environment, Maryam Al Muhairi.
The announcement came after the government ordered awareness sessions in all its ministries since June for 80 days.
It was the first country in the Gulf to adopt a net zero domestic consumption policy.
The plan is still in its infancy and some of its features are unclear, but the direction is clear.
It promised to rely on renewable and nuclear energy by 50% to generate electricity by 2050.
Abu Dhabi ’ s national oil company said it would get 100 percent of its electricity from the nuclear reactor and solar power.
The Mohammed bin Maktoum Solar Park will be the largest in the world with a capacity of 5,000 megawatts.
Gulf states are competing with each other, with news reports that Qatar has appointed a climate minister, Bahrain aiming for net zero carbon by 2050 and Kuwait announcing a plan to reduce carbon emissions.
Saudi Arabia does not like to be late.
It announced that it would increase the proportion of renewable energy from 0.3% to 50% by 2030.
The plan is to plant 10 million trees in the coming decades.
Over the weekend, the kingdom organized a summit of the Green Middle East Initiative, attended by John Kerry and Britain ’ s Prince Charles.
It promised to reach net zero carbon emissions in its territory by 2060.
The main reason the Gulf states have been slow to shift away from oil and its commodities is that they have made them rich and helped them anesthetize their citizens.
Their loyalty was bought through a series of subsidies for water, electricity, fuel and tax breaks.
These dynamics were different from Iraq, Lebanon and to a lesser extent Iran, but the situation is changing with the emergence of local environmental groups.

The UAE plans to generate 50% of its electricity from renewable and nuclear energy by 2050.

"Egypt and Saudi Arabia are the Middle Eastern countries investing in solar energy as part of their energy transition strategies."

The UAE is investing AED 200 billion in renewable energy as part of its transition to a low-carbon future.

Title:

Content: Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues have become increasingly prominent on the global stage as organisations recognise the need to integrate sustainability into their operations.

As the Middle East moves towards a low carbon future, sustainability has become a top priority for organisations and governments across the region.

Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai announced while launching the National Hydrogen Strategy that the UAE is to invest up to AED 200 billion ($54.5 billion) in renewable energy.

The launch of a AED 4 billion renewable energy plant in Dubai,  and the world’s largest waste-to-energy plant are proof of sustainability climbing the agenda.

With COP 28 being held in the UAE this year, there is a renewed sense of urgency on climate change action, and the net-zero carbon target is being prioritised through policies and actions.

After all, sustainability will boost the UAE’s economic competitiveness, drive innovative policy and improve investment opportunities.

The region has seen notable sustainability innovations, including Saudi Arabia’s rapid transition to a circular carbon economy, Bahrain’s state oil company refinancing a $2.2 billion sustainability-linked corporate finance facility, and Oman’s exploration of green hydrogen as a clean energy source.

However, the Middle East faces its own unique challenges in implementing ESG practices, especially around accurate sustainability reporting and implementing early regulations to fill in previous gaps.

Other challenges that hinder the progress of the region’s ESG agenda include the talent gap, how corporates in the region address the need to implement ESG practices, as well as data availability.

Regulatory frameworks

While standardised frameworks and reporting guidelines begin to form, the lack of clear regulations can hinder consistent measurement and disclosure of ESG performance.

Global frameworks have now become more widely adopted in the region such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), and the newly published International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB).

The gap in standardisation previously posed challenges for investors and stakeholders who relied on transparent and comparable ESG data for decision-making, however, we are starting to see drastic changes in this area.

Data availability

Many companies in the Middle East still face challenges in collecting, managing, and reporting ESG data, which can hinder their ability to effectively assess and manage their sustainability performance.

Data is the first step to measure any status, but also measure progress. Improving data collection mechanisms and investing in robust reporting systems will be instrumental in addressing this challenge.

ESG talent gap

Organisations need individuals with specialised knowledge and expertise in ESG practices to drive sustainable strategies effectively. Alongside this specialised knowledge, the industry also needs innovators, risk takers, agitators for change, mentors, and communicators in the field. There is however, a shortage of skilled professionals in the region with a deep understanding of ESG principles to drive innovative solutions.

Bridging this gap requires investment in education and training programmes to build a skilled workforce capable of integrating ESG considerations into business practices. Universities and training institutions are therefore increasingly offering courses and programmes on sustainability and ESG and businesses are partnering with academic institutions to develop tailored training initiatives and internships, nurturing a pipeline of talent equipped with the required knowledge and skills.

These efforts will cultivate a sustainable workforce capable of implementing and driving ESG practices in the Middle East.

Implementation by region’s corporates

Despite the challenges, corporations in the Middle East are embracing ESG practices, recognising the importance of sustainability and responsible business conduct. We see this through accelerated electrification and the increase of decarbonizing energy supply.

The GCC’s oil-producing nations have made efforts to diversify energy sources, transitioning towards net-zero carbon fuels for transportation. Investments in renewable energy, such as solar and wind, aim to mitigate environmental impacts and promote a low-carbon economic future transforming the economic system and supply chain.

Additionally, social considerations are gaining prominence. Companies are addressing social issues through initiatives that promote diversity, inclusion, and employee welfare.

Governance practices are also being strengthened to ensure transparency, accountability, regulatory reforms and ethical conduct.

While obstacles in integrating ESG practices persist in the Middle East, corporates in the region are proactively embracing sustainability and responsible business practices.

That the Middle East is emerging as a leader in ESG adoption is apparent through their fullfillment of the UN SDG goals which has driven positive environmental, social, and governance outcomes for businesses and society as a whole.

Gulf Cooperation Council countries are transitioning to renewable energy, with goals to increase the proportion of renewable energy in their energy mix, such as relying on renewable and nuclear energy by 50% to generate electricity by 2050.

"Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 program aims to develop renewable energy sectors by 2030, with a goal of increasing the proportion of renewable energy from 0.3% to 50%."

"Saudi Arabia, a major oil and gas exporter, has set a target to reach net-zero emissions by 2060, marking a significant step in the country's energy transition."

Title:

Content: Successfully registered!
Please go through the link provided in the body of the e-mail message
Huawei offers Middle East a digital supersystem to meet ambitions for a low-carbon future
© Sputnik.
Mikhail Voskresensky / Go to the Bank of Tyre solar power plant, 20 km from Damascus, Syria
Follow us via
Tackling climate change is a growing priority on the agenda of most Middle Eastern countries, and last year, new climate action targets emerged across the region, and even major oil and gas exporters such as Saudi Arabia announced they would reach net zero emissions by 2060.
So far, 137 countries that are parties to the UN climate agreement, responsible for 80% of global carbon emissions, have begun to commit to clear emission reduction targets.
The Middle East also hosted an increasing number of conferences focusing on sustainable energy last year, paving the way for mega projects in the field.
The recent World Digital Energy Summit 2021 is one such forum, showing how public-private collaboration is helping usher in a low-carbon, greener future through advanced technologies.
Hosted by Huawei Digital Power, a new business for information and communications technology giant Huawei, the summit brought together more than 500 participants from 67 countries to examine the interplay between digital electronics technologies and clean energy.
Charles Yang, senior vice president of Huawei and head of global marketing sales and services at Huawei Digital Power, said: “Carbon neutrality has become a global consensus and a big task, and to achieve this goal, energy production must be low-carbon, and energy consumption must be regulated. ”
After the pandemic, there is expected to be greater demand from society for new and green energy sources.
For its part, Huawei sees an opportunity to deeply integrate digital electronics and energy technologies to create low-carbon energy solutions that cover the entire energy flow from green power generation to efficient energy consumption.
This is embodied in the company ’ s philosophy of “using bits to manage watts. ”
In June, Huawei proposed the Network Carbon Intensity (NCI) initiative, in which carbon emissions are defined by one bit as a new measure of green energy.
The initiative comes at a time when Huawei estimates that nearly 40% of its carbon emissions now come from electrical systems, and experts have highlighted how the power generation industry is transitioning to zero-emission status.
Honor launches its first phones in more than 40 countries after separation from Huawei.
Includes all Google Apps
The Middle East and Gulf region in particular is of strategic importance to Huawei, as it has the longest hours of sunlight in the world, estimated at 2,500 hours per year.
Yang asserts that there are significant opportunities for large-scale deployment of photovoltaic energy storage systems in particular.
Various test cases are now available for how to facilitate the use of artificial intelligence and big data in the operation and maintenance of energy systems more efficiently, thus companies can provide society with cleaner and more stable energy.
Smart photovoltaics, smart data center facilities, clean energy for electric vehicles, and for the construction site form an integrated network essential to driving the clean energy revolution.
Yang commented: “While we will cooperate with local companies in all these areas, I believe smart PV data center facilities are of particular importance in our plans. ”
“We have partnered with hundreds of companies, consultants, NGOs and governments around the world to consider opportunities to use a clean energy system, and the fact is that the Middle East is a major energy producer and a global leader in exploring alternative energy systems, and therefore we see tremendous potential for digital power to support the Middle East ’ s transformation agendas in building a better and greener future. ”
News Ticker
0.
New first, old first.
loader
To participate in the discussion
Sign in or Register
loader
Conversations
Заголовок открываемого материала