'Cleaning the World’s Energy Powerhouse: The Gulf States and the Green Transition' | Digital Debates

The global green transition is a key aspect of the strategy to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees, particularly as it relates to 2050 net-zero commitments. This transition poses perhaps a greater conundrum for the Gulf states than any other region. Not only do fossil fuels constitute the basis of regional economies, they are also some of the largest energy suppliers for an energy hungry world. Acknowledging the global warming scenarios that could see the region’s living conditions pushed to the extreme, some of the leading energy producers such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain have recently made decarbonization commitments. However, transitioning from fossil fuels to renewables is easier said than done considering the transition process is laden with political, economic, and infrastructural costs. In this session, the future of Gulf states in terms of climate policies and the implications for the global energy outlook will be discussed. Moderator: Samed Sahin, Researcher, TRT World Forum Guests: Amena Bakr, Chief OPEC Correspondent, Energy Intelligence Carole Nakhle, Chief Executive Officer, Crystol Energy Karim Elgendy, Associate Fellow, Environment and Society Programme at Chatham House