Int'l Gathering to Unveil Saudi Green Initiatives’ Roadmap

Riyadh will host a global forum on the Green Saudi Initiative on Oct. 23-25. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Riyadh will host a global forum on the Green Saudi Initiative on Oct. 23-25. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Int'l Gathering to Unveil Saudi Green Initiatives’ Roadmap

Riyadh will host a global forum on the Green Saudi Initiative on Oct. 23-25. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Riyadh will host a global forum on the Green Saudi Initiative on Oct. 23-25. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia revealed on Tuesday an international trend to draw a green roadmap aimed at pushing efforts towards preserving the environment and supporting climate protection, through the establishment of the Green Saudi Initiative Forum, which will convene later this month in Riyadh.

The international forum will be held on Oct. 23-25, in the presence of regional and international stakeholders, to announce a roadmap aimed at achieving the goals of the Green Saudi Initiative, and launching innovative solutions to address climate change.

In March, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced the Green Saudi Initiative and the Green Middle East, stressing that they will both seek to protect land and nature and make a huge contribution to achieving global targets.

The forum will highlight the Green Youth Summit, a platform to raise awareness on the importance of environmental issues and develop policies to address them. Participants will seek to shape the future of climate action in a framework of interactive activities and intense discussions.

The Forum will be attended by Minister of Energy, the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, the Governor of the Public Investment Fund, the President of NEOM, and the CEO of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, along with international and regional experts and global leaders, who will discuss the Green Middle East Initiative and the upcoming steps to meet common environmental obligations.

According to official information, the forum will discuss the oceans, atmosphere, space, waterfront, species and ecosystems, in addition to the presentation of a study on the circular bioeconomy.

The Green Saudi Initiative aims to reduce carbon emissions by more than 4% of global contributions, through renewable energy projects that will provide 50% of electricity production inside the Kingdom by 2030 and projects in the field of clean hydrocarbon technologies that will erase more than 130 million tons of carbon emissions, in addition to raising the rate of diversion of waste from landfills to 94%.



OPEC Again Cuts 2024, 2025 Oil Demand Growth Forecasts

The OPEC logo. Reuters
The OPEC logo. Reuters
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OPEC Again Cuts 2024, 2025 Oil Demand Growth Forecasts

The OPEC logo. Reuters
The OPEC logo. Reuters

OPEC cut its forecast for global oil demand growth this year and next on Tuesday, highlighting weakness in China, India and other regions, marking the producer group's fourth consecutive downward revision in the 2024 outlook.

The weaker outlook highlights the challenge facing OPEC+, which comprises the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies such as Russia, which earlier this month postponed a plan to start raising output in December against a backdrop of falling prices.

In a monthly report on Tuesday, OPEC said world oil demand would rise by 1.82 million barrels per day in 2024, down from growth of 1.93 million bpd forecast last month. Until August, OPEC had kept the outlook unchanged since its first forecast in July 2023.

In the report, OPEC also cut its 2025 global demand growth estimate to 1.54 million bpd from 1.64 million bpd, Reuters.

China accounted for the bulk of the 2024 downgrade. OPEC trimmed its Chinese growth forecast to 450,000 bpd from 580,000 bpd and said diesel use in September fell year-on-year for a seventh consecutive month.

"Diesel has been under pressure from a slowdown in construction amid weak manufacturing activity, combined with the ongoing deployment of LNG-fuelled trucks," OPEC said with reference to China.

Oil pared gains after the report was issued, with Brent crude trading below $73 a barrel.

Forecasts on the strength of demand growth in 2024 vary widely, partly due to differences over demand from China and the pace of the world's switch to cleaner fuels.

OPEC is still at the top of industry estimates and has a long way to go to match the International Energy Agency's far lower view.

The IEA, which represents industrialised countries, sees demand growth of 860,000 bpd in 2024. The agency is scheduled to update its figures on Thursday.

- OUTPUT RISES

OPEC+ has implemented a series of output cuts since late 2022 to support prices, most of which are in place until the end of 2025.

The group was to start unwinding the most recent layer of cuts of 2.2 million bpd from December but said on Nov. 3 it will delay the plan for a month, as weak demand and rising supply outside the group maintain downward pressure on the market.

OPEC's output is also rising, the report showed, with Libyan production rebounding after being cut by unrest. OPEC+ pumped 40.34 million bpd in October, up 215,000 bpd from September. Iraq cut output to 4.07 million bpd, closer to its 4 million bpd quota.

As well as Iraq, OPEC has named Russia and Kazakhstan as among the OPEC+ countries which pumped above quotas.

Russia's output edged up in October by 9,000 bpd to about 9.01 million bpd, OPEC said, slightly above its quota.