Insight and opinion from The National’s editorial leadership
October 25, 2021
With less than a week remaining for the global climate summit, or Cop26, to begin in Glasgow on October 31, Saudi Arabia's reveal of its impressive carbon zero goals comes at a crucial time. It also heralds the visit of US climate envoy John Kerry to Riyadh where the green initiative forums are under way. Mr Kerry has this year been to the Middle East multiple times. On a trip to Abu Dhabi in June, in fact, he mentioned that the UAE was a good contender to host Cop28 in the year 2023.
The UAE, having unveiled its own strategic initiative last month to reach net-zero by 2050, has praised Saudi Arabia’s move to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2060. Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change, lauded Saudi Arabia's decision, calling it a “landmark, bold, long-term” strategic initiative.
There is no doubt that the measures the kingdom announced on Saturday are in step with global climate priorities. For the world’s biggest oil exporter – a country of 34.8 million people – to set a goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2060 is a prodigious step by any yardstick. The panoramic nature of the kingdom's climate ambitions is evident.
And even while the idea of the year 2060 could appear somewhat far down the road, there are objectives Saudi Arabia intends to meet in the much nearer future – at a halfway mark, so to speak. In another nine years, for example, by the year 2030, wind and solar energy will generate half of the country’s electricity. Also by that time, global methane emissions will be cut by 30 per cent from 2020 levels. The kingdom is also planning an enormous new hydrogen fuel plant in Neom, its futuristic city.
Participants attend the Saudi Green Initiative Forum to discuss efforts by the world's top oil exporter to tackle climate change, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, October 23. Reuters
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 programme, an ambitious national reform plan that aims to reduce the kingdom’s dependence on oil revenue, prioritises environmental protection and climate targets. The vision is to diversify energy production.
For a country of Saudi Arabia's scale and influence to move away from fossil fuels to renewables, stressing its intent to invest more in green energy refocuses the climate framework for the entire region. Its net-zero agenda could well inspire other economies in the Gulf – and parts of the world that have yet to flesh out their climate goals – to similarly plan and cut carbon emissions to align with the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Earlier this year, when Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced two projects to reverse environmental degradation and climate change, he said: “As a leading global producer of oil, we are fully aware of our share of the responsibility in advancing the fight against the climate crisis and as our pioneering role in stabilising energy markets during the oil and gas era, we will act to lead the next green era."
For decades, fossil fuels have been the mainstay for multiple Gulf economies – indeed, on which several well-positioned economies have been built. And hardly limited to the Middle East, industry and production across the world have run on oil and gas. Viewed through this lens, for a major oil-producing country to move away from its core output, barrels of which have been shipped to countries everywhere, and have literally fuelled factories and economic growth for decades, is a tremendous change. For carbon zero goals of such scale to be met requires time, consistency and effort.
Saudi Arabia has shown great purpose in stating its long-term green missions. In embarking on a path with environmental concerns as the guiding light, it could spur urgent climate action far across its borders.
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
Family: Wife, Pom; and daughters Kate, 18, and Ciara, 13, who attend Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS)
Favourite book or author: “That’s a really difficult question. I’m a big fan of Donna Tartt, The Secret History. I’d recommend that, go and have a read of that.”
Dream: “It would be to continue to have fun and to work with really interesting people, which I have been very fortunate to do for a lot of my life. I just enjoy working with very smart, fun people.”
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.
It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.
Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
UAE v Ireland
1st ODI, UAE win by 6 wickets
2nd ODI, January 12
3rd ODI, January 14
4th ODI, January 16
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
