Rating A Over the last decade, Saudi Arabia, a largely arid country, has witnessed significant changes in water usage, driven by the dual pressures of a growing population and industrialization. One of the key changes has been the shift from water-intensive agricultural practices to more sustainable methods due to the depletion of the country’s underground...
Author: Abeer Abdulkareem and Amgad Ellaboudy (Abeer Abdulkareem and Amgad Ellaboudy)
Saudi Arabian Emissions Rise Again After COVID
PROGRESS REPORTS/ MID-WAY 2023 Rating D (Falling Behind) Saudi Arabia’s emissions have been increasing in the last two years, bouncing back from their relatively low levels during the pandemic period despite several ambitious policies, including investing in carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies and planning to achieve a 50% share of renewable energy...
The Saudi Green Initiative
The Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) is an ambitious environmental policy launched by Saudi Arabia to achieve a greener future and enhance the quality of life. It brings together government ministries, private sector entities, and foreign leaders under dual green initiatives to identify and deliver opportunities for rapid climate action. The initiative integrates environmental protection, energy...
Saudi Arabia will not meet its goal of reducing emissions by 50% over 1990 levels by 2030
Saudi Arabia is at risk of not meeting its goal of reducing emissions to 50% over 1990 by 2030. Key factors, such as fossil fuel reliance, government policies, and private sector engagement, are becoming hurdles to enabling the country to reach this goal. Saudi Arabia’s high dependence on fossil fuels and its young solar and...
Saudi Arabia’s Indigenous Population’s Vulnerability to Climate Change
Unlike most countries, Saudi Arabia has not been colonized and has no ethnic minorities. All of the population of modern-day Saudi Arabia are direct descendants of its original Arab inhabitants. There are however various tribes and sub-divisions of Arabs, some of whom are more vulnerable to climate change than others, such as the Bedouins and coastal fishing communities. Saudi...
Saudi Arabia Contributed .11% of Global Agricultural Sector Emissions in 2021
Saudi Arabia emissions (2015-2021) from enteric methane production (source: Climate Trace)The Saudi agricultural sector produced 42.8 M tons of CO2e 100 and 0.082 M tons of CO2 in 2021The carbon footprint of Saudi agricultural activities in Saudi Arabia has declined from 198.03K tons of CO2 in 2015 to 82.40K tons of CO2 in 2021. The...
Saudi Arabia: A Climate Look Past and Forward
Looking Back 2022: Saudi’s Green Initiative Forum 2nd Edition Looking Forward 2023 Conference and a Plan to Transition from Fossil Fuels to Renewable Energy The second edition of the Saudi Green Initiative Forum, launched in October 2021, was held from November 11th through the 12th of this year in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, alongside the...
Saudi Electricity Company
Saudi Arabia’s original power grid was built in the 1970s and 1980s and is now handled through the central authority of the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC). The majority (80% of the population) of Saudi Arabia’s power generation, transmission, and distribution, is handled through the company’s 45 power generation plants. The company was formed in 2000...
Saudi Arabia’s Petroleum Production, as a Proxy for the Country’s Carbon Emissions
Total petroleum generation measures the amount of all petroleum products that Saudi Arabia generates and consists of liquid fuels, including crude oil and lease condensate, tight oil, extra-heavy oil, and bitumen. Total petroleum generation is measured by barrels per day and is provided on a monthly basis. It is a direct indicator of if Saudi Arabia is...
Purchase of New EVs in Saudi Arabia Remains Low Yet Passenger Car Emissions Have Been Decreasing
Saudi Arabia ranked first among the Gulf Cooperation Council countries in the number of vehicles sold in 2021 at about 556, 600 vehicles and the passenger cars per 1,000 people rose 1.59% to 156 vehicles in Saudi Arabia in 2019 and further increased to 241 cars per 1,000 people in August 2021.As the number of...