KSA ‘on track’ to meet 2060 net-zero pledge: Saudi climate chief

KSA ‘on track’ to meet 2060 net-zero pledge: Saudi climate chief

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt: Saudi Arabia is on track to meet its net-zero pledge by 2060, even though the global technologies have not fully “matured” yet, the Kingdom’s chief climate change negotiator said.

“We are really in a great situation where Saudi Arabia could really move forward, not only to meet the short-term goals of 2030, but also to meet the 2060 goals,” Khalid Abuleif told Arab News. “But we could do that better and earlier if the technologies are matured earlier than they’re supposed to be.”

Abuleif said the Kingdom would be able to fulfil its pledges earlier and meet its 2060 targets if carbon capture and storage, direct air and removal technologies are fully available sooner.

“Saudi Arabia is investing heavily to make these technologies ready earlier, through two major initiatives,” Abuleif added, citing the Saudi Green Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative, which were launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman last year.

He said that studies and reports issued by the Climate Change Impacts Studies Database show that most of these technologies will mature around 2040, “and hopefully we are having these technologies coming earlier.”

He said: “We have so many programs, almost 60 initiatives under that that would really help