Saudi Arabia continues to source almost all of its energy needs from fossil fuels (99.9%), and the implementation of ambitious renewable energy targets has been slow, as less than 0.1% of energy comes from renewables. In 2020, oil accounted for 62% of energy consumption and natural gas 38%. Saudi Arabia’s increasing electricity demand was predominantly...
Saudi Arabia is one of the most vulnerable countries in the Gulf region to climate change. Temperatures in Saudi Arabia are warming at a rate 50% higher than in the rest of the Northern Hemisphere. If the trend of rising temperatures persists or accelerates, human survival in this region will be impossible without continuous access...
The Saudi Green Building Forum (SGBF) was established in 2010 to promote sustainable building practices and energy efficiency in Saudi Arabia. SGBF works to integrate green building principles into the construction industry, fostering an environmentally responsible approach to urban development. The forum provides certification programs, such as the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)...
Saudi Arabia is working on developing a carbon trading market by creating carbon credits that companies can buy to offset their emissions.In October 2023, Saudi Arabia announced at the United Nations MENA Climate Week in Riyadh that it will launch in early 2024 the Kingdom’s Greenhouse Gas Crediting and Offsetting Mechanism (GCOM) “to incentivize the...
Climate Scorecard’s 2024 Government Climate Leadership Award is presented to a country official who has done the most to reduce emissions in their country’s government over the past year. Below is a copy of the letter sent to each nominee and why they were chosen to receive this award.Saudi Arabia 2024 Climate Scorecard Award: Crown...
Saudi Arabia doesn’t have any elections planned in 2024. Saudi Arabia’s absolute monarchy restricts almost all political rights and civil liberties. No officials at the national level are elected. Nonpartisan elections for advisory councils at the municipal level happened in 2015. Two-thirds of the members on the 284 councils were elected, while the rest of...
Saudi Arabia announced more than six years ago Vision 2030, which is a set of megaprojects and strategic investments that seek to diversify the economy, increase the state’s non-oil revenue, and reduce oil-dependent economic activity. However, political and socioeconomic obstacles have slowed the country’s pace of energy transition towards more sustainable alternatives. The state continues to...
The second Middle East and North Africa Climate Week (MENACW) was held from 9-12 October 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, under the theme, “Advancing Inclusivity and Circularity for Just and Equitable Energy Transitions” and marked the attendance of over 9000 participants and over 240 sessions. It was organized by the UN Environment Program (UNEP), the UN...
NEOM An example of an exemplary community in Saudi Arabia that has shown a commitment to climate mitigation is the city of Neom. Planned as a part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, Neom is a high-profile development project that aims to be a model of sustainability and advanced technology. While it’s still under development, its...
Dear Albara Tawfiq, Policy Advisor, Ministry of Energy and lead negotiator of Saudi Arabia’s Delegation to COP27, Tawfiqaez@gmail.com Our names are Abeer Abdulkareem and Amgad Ellaboudy. We are Country Managers for Saudi Arabia for Climate Scorecard, a non-profit organization that monitors leading greenhouse gas-emitting countries’ climate policies and programs. Based on a review of Saudi...
