Saudi Arabia's Climate Strategy Draws Criticism Amid High Emissions and Economic Reliance on Oil
Saudi Arabia has become a significant impediment to global climate action through the use of procedural vetoes and alliance-building, notably opposing voting on key issues and diluting Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports. This strategy aligns with the country's broader objective to slow the global energy transition while focusing on domestic decarbonization via the Saudi Green Initiative, which aims to source 50% of energy from renewables by 2030. Despite this, climate trackers rate Saudi Arabia's plans as critically insufficient or merely 'drawing board' level.
The kingdom targets achieving net-zero emissions by 2060, but oil remains dominant, accounting for around 60% of government revenue—a decrease from 90% a decade ago. Vision 2030 outlines economic diversification plans, but Bloomberg Economics indicates that balancing the national budget requires oil prices near $96 per barrel. Aramco has profited approximately $250 million per day from 2016 to 2023, funded largely by selling almost every barrel of oil produced.
Saudi Arabia emits about 736 million tonnes of CO2 annually, with per capita emissions around 22.13 tonnes, ranking it seventh highest worldwide. The average temperature rose 2.2°C between 1979 and 2019, with areas like Riyadh and Mecca warming faster. Summers have become roughly 2.6°C hotter; a 2024 heatwave during the Hajj pilgrimage resulted in at least 1,300 deaths. Additionally, Riyadh has endured over ten major floods in 30 years, causing more than 160 fatalities. Urban areas house over 80% of the population, where climate impacts are increasingly pronounced.
