Analysis Tourism Gulf in sustainable tourism push as legislation looms When the first tourists arrive to experience the Red Sea Global sustainable tourism destination in Saudi Arabia later this year, they will touch down at an airport run entirely by renewable energy and designed to include shaded areas and natural ventilation that minimises reliance on air conditioning. They will continue their journey to a resort […] January 12, 2023
Sustainability Adnoc chief Sultan Al Jaber named president of Cop28 Sultan Al Jaber, head of state oil giant Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), has been named president of the Cop28 climate conference, which is being hosted by the UAE later this year. Al Jaber, who is also the UAE’s minister of industry and advanced technology, has served as special envoy for climate change over […] January 12, 2023
Sustainability Emirati student offers solution to combat global warming An Emirati student is blazing a trail for female participation in science with her pioneering research that aims to offer a cost-effective way to help combat global warming. Ayesha Abdulla Alkhoori, a PhD student of materials science and engineering at Khalifa University, was one of five women from across the GCC to be recognised by […] January 11, 2023
Analysis Sustainability Gulf’s sustainability consulting market set to hit $1.3bn by 2025 Middle Eastern companies are calling in expert advisers to help them improve their environmental performance and analyse carbon-tracking and other sustainability indicators. As national carbon reduction policies roll out across the Gulf, the region’s market for sustainability consulting is forecast to grow by 10 percent each year between now and 2025, according to a report […] January 11, 2023
Opinion Energy There’s no quick fix on energy. At PIF, we’re just getting on with it The Saudi sovereign wealth fund's head of energy and utilities explains why the transition to renewables is coming, but can't happen overnight – and why electric cars are older than you think January 9, 2023
Analysis Banking and Finance Rising demand for green bonds, despite ‘bleaching’ Global issuance of green bonds has increased by an average of 70 percent each year between 2016 and 2021. The market for environmental, social and corporate (ESG) governance finance in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region remains small compared to elsewhere, but it is growing quickly. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund issued $3 […] January 6, 2023
Sustainability Israel to abandon plastic tax despite environmental concerns Israel’s new government will abandon the country’s tax on single-use plastic plates and utensils, finance minister Bezalel Smotrich said, despite environmental concerns. The decision, in apparent defiance of global efforts to reduce the amount of plastic waste that is polluting oceans, comes after opposition to the tax from religious parties that said it unfairly targeted […] January 2, 2023
Sustainability Private sector key to tackling climate change, says tourism chief The world cannot expect governments to combat climate change alone and the private sector must step up and safeguard the future of the planet, according to John Pagano, CEO of Saudi’s Red Sea Global. Countries across the world are taking various measures to address climate change. In the Middle East, the UAE and Oman have […] December 30, 2022
Opinion Sustainability Private sector innovation will save our natural environment While politicians talk about curbing emissions, private sector innovations are actively driving the transition to renewable energy December 29, 2022
Opinion Sustainability Integrated sustainability comes of age in the UAE Sustainability looks primed for sector-wide adoption in the UAE in 2023 as the Gulf state finds solutions to environmental challenges December 29, 2022
Opinion Sustainability Green for go as UK and UAE count down to Cop28 The environment will be a key theme as the UK and UAE look to commercialise innovations in sustainability December 26, 2022
What I learned Finance Gulf business insights from 2022 and what to expect in 2023 In the context of the Ukraine war, the energy crisis, rising inflation and supply chain issues, the past year was certainly one of challenges and lessons for companies. Here, a selection of AGBI columnists and Gulf entrepreneurs reveal their business insights from 2022 and what they are looking forward to in the year ahead. Chris […] December 25, 2022
Analysis Banking and Finance UK and Saudi Arabia plant seed for closer ties on green finance Saudi Arabia has signed an agreement with the UK to foster greater cooperation on green finance as the kingdom looks increasingly at ethical funding for its transformative giga-projects. Jeremy Hunt, the UK’s chancellor of the exchequer, and Mohammed Al-Jadaan, the Saudi minister of finance, met on Tuesday in London to sign a memorandum of understanding […] December 23, 2022
Analysis Sustainability Mining for profits increases foreign investment in Oman Oman is emerging as a hub for industrial minerals with dozens of mining sites covering an area of 2,000 sq km. But experts believe the sector’s true potential will be realised over the next decade. Mining is one of the Omani government’s focuses under its economic diversification programme. It has attracted interest from both foreign […] December 21, 2022
Sustainability Jordan signs $121m loan deal to upgrade King Abdullah Canal Germany’s KfW Development Bank has partnered with Jordan’s Ministry of Water and Irrigation to provide a €115 million loan ($121.73 million) towards the upgrade of the 65km northern part of King Abdullah Canal. Water minister, Mohammad Najjar, who signed the deal with KfW Amman office director Mark Schwiete, said the project will pump 10 million […] December 20, 2022
Analysis Sustainability Green deals jump as Middle East returns to pre-Covid levels Mergers and acquisitions activity in the Middle East has returned to pre-pandemic levels, with green deals on the increase. A Boston Consulting Group analysis shows the Middle East recording 283 deals valued at $23.8 billion in the first three quarters of 2022, an increase of 16 percent compared to the same period last year. The […] December 19, 2022
Exclusive Manufacturing Gulf switches to more energy efficient cooling solutions The UAE’s replacement market for air conditioning (AC) is growing fast as energy consumption concerns continue to rise. Global consumption of electricity for household ACs is increasing rapidly, creating urgent demand for more efficient cooling systems. Energy demand for space cooling will more than treble by 2050 unless there is action to address energy efficiency, […] December 15, 2022
Sustainability Saudi PIF acquires 9.5% stake in Germany’s Skyborn Renewables Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) acquired a 9.5 percent stake in Germany’s Skyborn Renewables. The investment will allow PIF to accelerate the energy transition and scale up its international clean energy ambitions by partnering with a geographically diversified offshore wind energy platform, it said in a statement. No financial details were disclosed. In October, […] December 13, 2022
Opinion Energy Blame White House and Wall Street for global energy crunch The influence of radical environmentalism on the US Democrat administration and Wall Street bankers is damaging the global energy industry December 12, 2022
Analysis Energy Adnoc chasing global growth with latest venture Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) is creating a dedicated unit for low carbon solutions and international business. It is an attempt to monetise the decarbonisation strategy mandated to it by its board and the wider UAE government. But the company must ensure that any future overseas work does not cannibalise that of the Abu […] December 7, 2022
Sustainability Omani carbon removal pioneer wins $1.2m Earthshot Prize Omani carbon mineralisation pioneer 44.01 has been named one of the winners of the 2022 Earthshot Prize. 44.01 emerged from more than 1,000 applicants to be picked as one of the five winners of the environmental award, which was founded by Prince William and is judged by a panel of experts. The company wins £1 […] December 5, 2022
Food & Drink Coffee Planet using its waste to help turn desert into fertile soil A partnership between Dubai-based coffee shop company Coffee Planet and sustainability startup The Waste Lab is helping to turn parts of the desert into arable soil. Desert soil is not completely unusable, but it lacks the organic matter needed to grow crops or vegetation. Coffee shops, meanwhile, have an abundance of organic matter, in the […] November 27, 2022
