Climate Week Sees Affirmation of Arab Region’s Ability to Lead the Field of Renewable Energy

Dr. Abdullah Al-Dardari attends a dialogue session during the Climate Week in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Dr. Abdullah Al-Dardari attends a dialogue session during the Climate Week in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Climate Week Sees Affirmation of Arab Region’s Ability to Lead the Field of Renewable Energy

Dr. Abdullah Al-Dardari attends a dialogue session during the Climate Week in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Dr. Abdullah Al-Dardari attends a dialogue session during the Climate Week in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Regional Director of the United Nations Development Program, Dr. Abdullah Al-Dardari, said that the potential possessed by the Arab region qualifies it to lead the transition towards clean and renewable energy, praising Saudi Arabia’s circular economy approach and its efforts to reduce pollution and preserve the environment.

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat on the sidelines of the Middle East and North Africa Climate Week (MENACW) 2023 in Riyadh, Al-Dardari noted that the field of renewable energy constituted a great opportunity to diversify sources of income, noting that the Arab region faces many difficult environmental conditions, including water scarcity, food security threats, and environmental and climate crises.

The UN official emphasized the presence of a historic opportunity for the region to be an international leader in sustainable economy, as the cost of producing renewable energy has become relatively cheap and competitive compared to traditional energy sources, while the region also possesses financial resources, minds, and a political desire to drive the transition towards clean energy.

Emphasis must be placed on improving the efficiency of traditional energy use, in addition to enhancing the reliance on renewable energy, Al-Dardari said, noting that this includes reducing pollution and emissions and increasing economic and environmental efficiency.

He also pointed out the importance of investing in knowledge, research, development and production to achieve these goals.

Al-Dardari stressed that the region must adapt to current climate changes, and suggested developing genetically modified agricultural products to enable their cultivation in difficult conditions, such as high temperatures, water shortages, and drought.

He also underlined the necessity of working to reduce the waste of resources, saying that studies have shown that a third of the region’s resources are squandered.

“This constitutes an environmental and economic challenge that must be addressed,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

The United Nations Development Program works to protect the environment and promote sustainable development in the Arab countries on an ongoing basis, through initiatives aimed at enhancing food security, providing various environmental solutions, and training cadres on best practices that help in completing environmental projects.



Saudi Arabia, Canada Discuss Smart Industrial Cities

The meetings held by the Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources with Canadian ministers are aimed at strengthening industrial and mining cooperation between the two countries. SPA
The meetings held by the Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources with Canadian ministers are aimed at strengthening industrial and mining cooperation between the two countries. SPA
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Saudi Arabia, Canada Discuss Smart Industrial Cities

The meetings held by the Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources with Canadian ministers are aimed at strengthening industrial and mining cooperation between the two countries. SPA
The meetings held by the Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources with Canadian ministers are aimed at strengthening industrial and mining cooperation between the two countries. SPA

Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef has discussed with Canadian government ministers ways to bolster industrial and mining cooperation between the two countries, opportunities for developing industrial innovation, and building an effective partnership to establish smart industrial cities in the Kingdom by leveraging Canadian expertise.

During his meeting with Canadian Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne, and accompanied by National Industrial Development Center Chief Executive Saleh AlSulami, Alkhorayef underscored the Kingdom's commitment to benefiting from the applications of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, particularly artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, to develop the industrial sector and create added value, while improving production efficiency in industrial facilities.

Meeting participants discussed enhancing cooperation in the field of industrial digitization, utilizing AI technologies to improve industrial processes, and exploring opportunities for collaboration in building smart industrial cities in the Kingdom, benefiting from Canadian advancements in digital infrastructure.

The two sides also discussed collaboration between the Kingdom and Canada in the field of innovation, including the partnership between the Saudi Ministry of Education and Metax, a Canadian research organization funded by the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Industry with a focus on providing joint research opportunities for graduate and doctoral students in both countries.

During a meeting with Canadian Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen, Alkhorayef discussed ways to enhance economic relations and non-oil trade between the two countries, given the fact that the Kingdom is the largest trading partner for Canada in the Middle East and North Africa. The ministers reviewed the role of industrial development globally in advancing communities, increasing their well-being, and improving individuals' living standards.

Alkhorayef and Canada's Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MIHR) executive director Ryan Montpellier discussed opportunities to benefit from council's expertise in workforce human capabilities development strategies in the mining sector.

The meetings held by the Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources with Canadian ministers are part of his visit to Canada, aimed at strengthening industrial and mining cooperation between the two countries, exploring mutual opportunities in both sectors, and attracting foreign investments to the Kingdom.