عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Business

Green Spaces in Saudi Arabia Increase by 9%

The General Authority for Statistics revealed the increasing size of green areas in Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The General Authority for Statistics revealed the increasing size of green areas in Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT
20
TT

Green Spaces in Saudi Arabia Increase by 9%

The General Authority for Statistics revealed the increasing size of green areas in Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The General Authority for Statistics revealed the increasing size of green areas in Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

In line with the Green Saudi Arabia and Green Middle East initiatives launched by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, official statistics revealed on Thursday that the areas of green spaces, parks and gardens in the municipal sector have expanded by 9% during 2021 compared to the same period in 2020.

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) said that land reserves expanded to reach 324,000 square kilometers in 2021, constituting 16% of the total area of Saudi Arabia.

This came after the Saudi government allocated 7 royal reserves in 2018 and 5 reserves in AlUla in 2019, while the area of marine reserves amounted to more than 12 square kilometers in 2021, GASTAT noted.

According to the statistics, the recycled industrial waste in Jubail and Yanbu amounted to 340,000 ton in 2021, recording an increase by 23% compared to 2020.

The Authority also noted that the recycled industrial waste constituted 62% of the amount of collected waste in Jubail and Yanbu in 2021.

The volume of the reused treated water amounted to 419 million cubic meters in 2021, GASTAT said, recording an increase by 24% compared to 2020. The percentage of the reused treated water in 2021 reached 22% of the total treated water.

The waste water treatment stations in 2021 have reached 133 stations, recording an increase by 15% compared to the same period in 2022.

Riyadh has the highest number of waste water treatment stations with 26 stations, followed by Asir with 20 stations, and the Eastern region (Al-Sharqiyah) with 19 stations, the report said.

Most Viewed

 
Business

US Solar Tariffs Could Drive Asia Transition Boom

Massive new tarrifs could hit solar panels made in Southeast Asia from June. (AFP)
Massive new tarrifs could hit solar panels made in Southeast Asia from June. (AFP)
TT
20
TT

US Solar Tariffs Could Drive Asia Transition Boom

Massive new tarrifs could hit solar panels made in Southeast Asia from June. (AFP)
Massive new tarrifs could hit solar panels made in Southeast Asia from June. (AFP)

Massive planned US duties on solar panels made in Southeast Asia could be a chance for the region to ramp up its own long-stalled energy transition, experts say.
Earlier this month, Washington announced plans for hefty duties on solar panels made in Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia.
The levies follow an investigation, launched before US President Donald Trump took office, into "unfair practices" in the countries, particularly by Chinese-headquartered firms, AFP said.
If approved next month, they will pile upon tariffs already imposed by the Trump administration, including blanket 10-percent levies for most countries, and 145 percent on Chinese-made goods.
For the US market, the consequences are likely to be severe. China makes eight out of every 10 solar panels globally, and controls 80 percent of every stage of the manufacturing process.
The new tariffs "will practically make solar exports to US impossible commercially", said Putra Adhiguna, managing director at the Energy Shift Institute think tank.
Southeast Asia accounted for nearly 80 percent of US solar panel imports in 2024.
And while investment in solar production has ramped up in the United States in recent years, the market still relies heavily on imported components.
For Chinese manufacturers, already dealing with a saturated domestic market, the raft of tariffs is potentially very bad news.
Many shifted operations to Southeast Asia hoping to avoid punitive measures imposed by Washington and the European Union as they try to protect and nurture domestic solar industries.
The proposed new duties range from around 40 percent for some Malaysian exports to an eye-watering 3,521 percent for some Cambodia-based manufacturers.
- Tariffs 'accelerate' transition -
But there may be a silver lining for the region, explained Ben McCarron, managing director at Asia Research & Engagement.
"The tariffs and trade war are likely to accelerate the energy transition in Southeast Asia," he said.
China will "supercharge efforts" in regional markets and push for policy and implementation plans to "enable fast adoption of green energy across the region", driven by its exporters.
Analysts have long warned that countries in the region are moving too slowly to transition from planet-warming fossil fuels like coal.
"At the current pace, it (Southeast Asia) risks missing out on the opportunities provided by the declining costs of wind and solar, now cheaper than fossil fuels," said energy think tank Ember in a report last year.
For example, Malaysia relied on fossil fuels for over 80 percent of its electricity generation last year.
It aims to generate 24 percent from renewables by 2030, a target that has been criticized as out of step with global climate goals.
The tariff regime represents a double opportunity for the region, explained Muyi Yang, senior energy analyst at Ember.
So far, the local solar industry has been "largely opportunistic, focused on leveraging domestic resources or labor advantages for export gains", he told AFP.
Cut off from the US market, it could instead focus on local energy transitions, speeding green energy uptake locally and driving a new market that "could serve as a natural hedge against external volatility".
Still, replacing the US market will not be easy, given its size and the relatively nascent state of renewables in the region.
"Success hinges on turning this export-led momentum into a homegrown cleantech revolution," said Yang.
"Clearance prices" may be attractive to some, but countries in the region and beyond may also be cautious about a flood of solar, said Adhiguna.
Major markets like Indonesia and India already have measures in place intended to favor domestic solar production.
"Many will hesitate to import massively, prioritizing trade balance and aims to create local green jobs," he said.