UAE and Saudi Arabia to compete for top global ranking in green energy

Al-Monitor Pro Members

Afshin Molavi

Senior Fellow, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies

Feb. 2, 2023

As the UAE prepares to host COP28, GCC governments are accelerating renewable energy projects at home and through investments abroad. From hydrogen to solar and wind, GCC states and associated entities are leveraging their capital, industrial capacity and networks to build renewable energy to support ambitious emission reduction targets and participate in what is shaping up to be a multi-trillion dollar energy play. The UAE and Saudi Arabia are leading the pack, even as both are ramping up oil production, rejecting the "either-or" view of climate activists in favor of a pragmatic transition that involves both renewables and existing fossil fuels at lower carbon intensities. The UAE will play a particularly significant role as host of COP28. If ambitious plans materialize, by 2050 the UAE and Saudi Arabia could emerge as major green energy providers worldwide.