Saudi Arabia will operate first hydrogen train in the region: minister

Saudi Arabia will operate first hydrogen train in the region: minister

DUBAI — Minister of Transport and Logistics Saleh Al-Jasser said that Saudi Arabia will operate the first train powered by hydrogen in the region. “The cost of transportation using alternative energy is declining rapidly,” he said while addressing the COP28 conference in Dubai on Monday. The minister pointed out several challenges that affect the process of removing carbon emissions, including the increase in population, which requires the increased use of transportation. He said that developing this sector may sometimes come at the expense of the environment. “Transportation sector is one of the biggest causes of climate change and the increase in carbon emissions and pollution. In Saudi Arabia, it represents the second largest source of emissions, followed by the energy sector, which constitutes 19 percent of total emissions,” he said. Al-Jasser said that the Saudi Green Initiative, launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, underscored the importance of paying attention to achieving sustainability and making it at the core of environmental initiatives. He noted that the Kingdom aims to reduce carbon emissions by about 267 million tons by the year 2030, and the National Transport Strategy was developed an ambitious goal to reduce emissions by 18 percent by 2030. The