Sustainability Arab Coordination Group announces $50bn for Africa The Arab Coordination Group, made up of regional and international development institutions, has allocated $50 billion to advance sustainable development in Africa through to 2030. The funding was announced at the Saudi-Arab-African Economic Conference in Riyadh and further discussed at a panel arranged by the Saudi Fund for Development on Sunday on the sidelines of […] December 11, 2023
Sustainability Turning trash into tokens: blockchain’s answer to waste Trash, garbage, detritus. Whatever you call it, the waste management industry around the world faces a huge challenge as it must handle a substantial and growing volume of rubbish. In 2020, according to the World Bank, the world generated 2.24 billion tonnes of solid waste, amounting to a footprint of 0.79 kg per person per […] December 11, 2023
Sustainability Bahrain seeks 30% reduction in emissions by 2035 Bahrain aims to reduce carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2035 and reach zero carbon by 2060 as part of its national carbon neutrality strategy. The Gulf state recently launched a national energy strategy and a $750 million fund, in addition to establishing the Safaa voluntary platform to offset carbon emissions, the UAE state-run Wam […] December 11, 2023
Sustainability Neom sets up company to work on Saudi food security Saudi Arabia’s $500 billion Neom giga-project has set up a food company to support the kingdom’s targets for food security and climate change mitigation. Topian, which is wholly owned by Neom, will work on food production, distribution and consumption across five pillars: climate-proof agriculture, regenerative aquaculture, novel foods, personalised nutrition and sustainable food supply. The […] December 11, 2023
Sustainability Dubai targets 50% carbon emission reduction by 2030 Dubai plans to cut carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2030 to achieve carbon neutrality. The new plan will accelerate the emirate’s transition towards clean energy, backed by a clear roadmap for reaching its net-zero goal by 2050, Dubai Media Office said in a statement. The strategy will focus on environmental protection, biodiversity, conservation of […] December 10, 2023
Oil & Gas UAE softens on fossil fuel wording, observers say The UAE, one of the world’s largest oil producers, is considering supporting an unprecedented agreement towards ‘phasing out’ fossil fuels, observers have told AGBI. Some suggest the parties may agree to a phase-out in easier-to-abate sectors such as power generation, where reducing greenhouse gas emissions can be achieved with existing renewable technologies like solar or […] December 9, 2023
Oil & Gas Europe stands firm on fossil fuel phase-out deal at Cop28 The European Parliament is heading into the final days of negotiation at the Cop28 climate summit in Dubai with a clear mission to see the absolute end of fossil fuels. At a press conference on Friday, European Parliament member Peter Liese told journalists that the delegation is demanding the “tangible phase out of fossil fuels” […] December 8, 2023
Opinion Sustainability UN simplicities hinder genuine progress at unwieldy Cop This year's Cop can point to a solid list of achievements – but the next one must downsize December 8, 2023
Analysis Giga-projects Big 5 builders seek answers to Saudi’s $1.5trn question Saudi Arabia’s mammoth pipeline of giga-projects was the focus of the Big 5 Global conference in Dubai this week, as the region’s main construction players discussed how to juggle fast-approaching 2030 deadlines with the kingdom’s push for sustainable development. Saudi Arabia has signed off on $78 billion of construction projects so far this year, up […] December 7, 2023
Video length: 06:23 EXCLUSIVE Renewable Energy Nuclear ‘arrives too late’ to halt climate emergency Nuclear energy will not help the world meet its urgent target to limit global warming, according to the head of the International Renewable Energy Agency. Francesco La Camera, director-general of Abu Dhabi-based Irena, told AGBI the significance of nuclear power in fighting climate change had been overstated. “Nuclear does not serve the climate change agenda […] December 7, 2023
Sustainability Tadweer unveils plan to decarbonise waste industry Abu Dhabi Waste Management Company (Tadweer) is spearheading an initiative to address rising emissions in its industry. The company launched its global Waste to Zero programme at the Cop28 climate conference in Dubai on Wednesday. “The initiative invites governments, private players, technologies, education institutions and the public to join hands, start looking at the challenge […] December 6, 2023
Construction US Green Building Council to launch new ratings system The US Green Building Council is launching a new ratings system to measure structures against tough sustainability targets. It is the first time in 10 years that the organisation has updated its policy, with the industry largely relying on the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (Leed) green building system. According to the US Green […] December 6, 2023
Video length: 06:23 Renewable Energy Arab alliance allocates $10bn for green energy projects The Arab Coordination Group, an alliance of regional and international development institutions, has allocated $10 billion until 2030 to support energy transition in developing countries. The funding will drive a “comprehensive and affordable” transition to renewable energy in developing countries, the group said in a statement released during the Cop28 climate summit in Dubai. The […] December 6, 2023
Video length: 05:05 VIDEO Renewable Energy Gulf’s biggest asset is ‘sun in the sky’ – not its oil reserves The Middle East could become a powerhouse of green industrialisation by exploiting its vast renewable energy sources, the chair of the Energy Transitions Commission has told AGBI at the Cop28 summit in Dubai. “Your long-term asset in this region is not the oil under the ground, it’s the sun in the sky,” said Adair Turner, […] December 6, 2023
Energy John Kerry unveils US roadmap for nuclear fusion John Kerry, the US special envoy on climate, has unveiled his country’s roadmap for international collaboration on nuclear fusion. Speaking on the sidelines of the Cop28 summit on Tuesday, Kerry said he believed fusion could provide abundant clean energy without the harmful emissions of traditional sources. “Fusion can be a critical piece of the energy […] December 5, 2023
Construction Concrete institute launching low carbon building code The American Concrete Institute is unveiling what it claims is the first-ever low carbon building code at the Cop28 climate conference. Building codes are a set of rules that standardise the construction process. They have historically focused on safety and serviceability, but must now address sustainability needs, Antonio Nanni, a professor at the University of […] December 5, 2023
Sustainability Dairy companies vow to cut methane emissions Six of the world’s largest dairy companies will soon begin disclosing their annual methane emissions as part of a new global alliance launched at the Cop28 summit in Dubai on Tuesday. Nestlé, Danone, General Mills, Kraft Heinz, Bel Group and Lactalis will begin reporting their methane emissions by mid-2024 and will write action plans by […] December 5, 2023
Sustainability Nations pledge to cut cooling emissions by 68% by 2050 More than 60 countries have backed a pledge at Cop28 to cut air conditioning and related emissions by 68 percent of 2022 levels by 2050. They did so as a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) found that global cooling capacity will treble by then. The Global Cooling Pledge marks the world’s first collective focus on […] December 5, 2023
Energy Masdar signs $16bn alliance with Spain’s renewables giant Green energy companies Iberdrola and Masdar announced a €15 billion ($16.3 billion) partnership agreement on Tuesday to explore joint offshore wind and green hydrogen projects across the world. After a co-investment in Baltic Eagle wind farm in Germany, the two parties will invest in the 1,400MW UK East Anglia 3 offshore wind project. The deal, […] December 5, 2023
Energy Improving energy efficiency key to 1.5C target, says expert The world will miss its target to limit global warming to 1.5C if it does not prioritise energy efficiency in the decarbonisation process, a renewables expert has warned. “We always say that energy efficiency is the lowest-hanging fruit,” said Dr Nawal Al Hosany, vice chair of the Global Council on Energy Efficiency. “However, it’s like […] December 5, 2023
SPECIAL REPORT Construction How Mena is moving to sustainable construction The year is 2065 and humans are living in space, in villas of celestial materials mined from asteroids and equipped with infinity pools. Far-fetched? Perhaps, but this model was one of dozens featured last month in an exhibition on the past, present and future of sustainable design in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena). […] December 5, 2023
Sustainability UAE pledges $150m for Mena water security A $150 million commitment from the UAE at Cop28 to fund water security solutions in vulnerable countries is a step in the right direction but more must be done to address the issue, say experts. Speaking at a panel discussion at the climate change conference in Dubai, Ramadan Assi, executive adviser for strategic partnerships at […] December 5, 2023
