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14th Saudi Green Building Forum to be Held in Riyadh on October

The flag of Saudi Arabia. Asharq Al-Awsat
The flag of Saudi Arabia. Asharq Al-Awsat
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14th Saudi Green Building Forum to be Held in Riyadh on October

The flag of Saudi Arabia. Asharq Al-Awsat
The flag of Saudi Arabia. Asharq Al-Awsat

The 14th Saudi Green Building Forum will be held in Riyadh from October 6 to 8 under the patronage of Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majed Al-Hogail.
The event will focus on the optimal operation of cities, consistent with green building standards, shed light on the localization of sustainable development goals in cities, neighborhoods and buildings, and present the endeavors of relevant stakeholders in the green building sector.
Local and international experts, specialists and investors in human- and environment-friendly services and products will attend the event, SPA reported.

Various relevant authorities are striving to improve building standards and implement crucial programs aimed at reducing carbon emissions from buildings, neighborhoods, and cities, and to integrate civic initiatives and partnerships in the planning, implementation, and recycling of building waste, to guarantee the high-quality execution of projects geared toward achieving net-zero emissions.
Secretary-General of the forum Faisal Alfadl said that this edition aims to facilitate consultations on best practices by engaging experts and companies specializing in green building tools and construction techniques.
The forum serves as a vital platform for dialogue, collaboration and innovation, driving the Kingdom's ambitious sustainability agenda forward, and shaping the future of green building and urban development in the region.
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EU Gas Storage Near Full as Bloc Prepares for Winter

A view shows gas wells at Bovanenkovo gas field owned by Gazprom on the Arctic Yamal peninsula, Russia May 21, 2019. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
A view shows gas wells at Bovanenkovo gas field owned by Gazprom on the Arctic Yamal peninsula, Russia May 21, 2019. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
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EU Gas Storage Near Full as Bloc Prepares for Winter

A view shows gas wells at Bovanenkovo gas field owned by Gazprom on the Arctic Yamal peninsula, Russia May 21, 2019. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
A view shows gas wells at Bovanenkovo gas field owned by Gazprom on the Arctic Yamal peninsula, Russia May 21, 2019. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

European Union countries have nearly filled their gas storage as the bloc readies for winter and the potential stoppage of Russian gas deliveries via Ukraine, data showed on Wednesday.

Gas storage facilities across the 27-country EU are 90% full, marking the second year running in which the bloc has hit its 90% filling target in August - well in advance of a November deadline, the European Commission said.

Germany, which has the biggest storage caverns of any EU country, has filled them to 93% of capacity. Most EU members with storage sites have filled them to above 90%, data from Gas Infrastructure Europe showed.

According to Reuters, Russia used to supply around 40% of the EU's gas before the 2022 Ukraine war, after which Russian deliveries plunged and Europe raced to replace reliance on Moscow with more gas from countries including Norway and the US.

Europe faces a potential further loss of Russian gas this winter, as a transit agreement to deliver Russian gas to Europe via Ukraine is due to expire at the end of the year.

The EU has said it will not pressure Ukraine to extend this agreement, and has said countries can do without these deliveries, which totalled around 15 billion cubic metres (bcm) in 2023, out of total EU gas consumption of 295 bcm.

Europe's last winter was usually mild and had low energy demand, which left storage relatively full earlier this year, reducing the task of refilling depleted caverns during summer. Stored gas is called on during Europe's coldest months when demand for heating peaks.

"It's a combination of a very significantly higher starting point of storage and lower demand," Jacob Mandel, senior associate at Aurora Energy Research, said of current storage levels.

The GIE data showed a very different situation in Ukraine, where gas storage is just 23% full.

Mandel said the risks caused by the war and the high cost for Ukrainian companies to import gas have curbed the country's ability to build up storage reserves.

Ukrainian energy facilities have also come under nearly daily bombardment in recent months, causing blackouts, as the war grinds on following Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.

EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson called on Wednesday for Europe to provide the necessary support to Ukraine's energy system to help the country prepare for a "tough" winter.