As a leading global energy producer, Saudi Arabia is committed to advancing the fight against climate change. In 2021, His Royal Highness, Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, announced the Kingdom's plans to achieve net zero emissions by 2060 through the Circular Carbon Economy approach. This will contribute significantly to achieving global climate targets while protecting international energy security.
Saudi Arabia is taking a leading role in mitigating climate change impacts and accelerating science-based solutions to reducing emissions. Given the Kingdom’s vast resources and experience in managing global energy stability, Saudi Arabia is well placed to lead a new era of climate action and make a significant contribution to global emissions reduction efforts.
Saudi Arabia has pledged to reduce its carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by 278 million tons per year by 2030 in line with the Paris Agreement. This will be achieved through the Circular Carbon Economy (CCE) approach and the development of clean and renewable energy sources for domestic and international use, implementation of energy efficiency programs, afforestation and conscious investments in historically high-emission industries such as manufacturing, mining, tourism, transport and information technology.
In addition, the Kingdom has pledged to invest in carbon capture and utilization projects, with the goal of capturing 1,500 tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere per day. These measures are expected to significantly reduce Saudi Arabia’s emissions and help it meet its climate goals.
In October 2021 His Royal Highness Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, announced that Saudi Arabia was joining the Global Ocean Alliance, an international organization dedicated to ocean conservation. A core goal of the Alliance is safeguarding at least 30% of the world's oceans by 2030 through marine protected areas. Saudi Arabia is one of few Arab countries to be part of the alliance.
His Royal Highness also announced the establishment of the Ocean Exploration Foundation, which will be responsible for conducting research and exploration of the world's oceans. These initiatives are part of Saudi Arabia’s larger goal of being a leader in marine conservation.
To amplify climate-positive collaboration across the international sporting community, Saudi Arabia has joined the UN Sports for Climate Action Initiative. By contributing to this UNFCCC climate action initiative, Saudi Arabia is demonstrating how global climate goals can be achieved through whole-of-society action, a goal enshrined in the framework put in place as part of SGI.
Reducing methane emissions is critical to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Saudi Arabia is committed to contributing to cutting global methane emissions by 30% by 2030 as part of its ambition to deliver a cleaner, greener future. The Global Methane Pledge is an important step in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and the Kingdom is proud to be a part of it.
In May 2024, Saudi Arabia became the latest country to formally join the International Drought Resilience Alliance (IDRA), the global coalition mobilizing political, technical, and financial capital to combat drought.
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