Mena can become global leader in scaling new energy pathways

The livelihoods of over half a billion people in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) are under threat, as current projections indicate a 4C increase by 2050.
A new World Economic Forum report titled ‘Closing the climate action gap: Accelerating decarbonisation and the energy transition in Mena’, highlights the key sustainability challenges in the region and provides a blueprint for bold decarbonisation actions that could fuel new economic opportunities.
The report indicates how local governments could simultaneously counter these projections while fostering greater economic diversification and high-quality jobs.
This would spur on the regional momentum for holistic climate action and position Mena as a global leader in sustainable technologies for years.
‘’The Mena region has been one of the fastest growing regions over the past decade and there is a pathway for the region to position itself at the forefront of sustainability efforts while maintaining its upward economic trajectory,” said WEF President Borge Brende.
“As global markets continue to shift, and energy demands rise, the region requires bold and co-ordinated action from policymakers and businesses to lead a just energy transition and meet both climate- and development-related goals.”
According to the report prepared in collaboration with Bain & Company, temperatures in the region are rising at twice the global average rate, presenting an array of challenges in the coming decades that could threaten the livelihoods of the 575mn people who live there, 70% of them in low-income countries.
Climate shocks, such as rising temperatures and prolonged droughts, could have serious effects on agriculture and liveability, as well as a compound effect on Mena’s systemic issues.
Mena countries, it said, trail behind comparable regions in terms of their sustainability progress. While local governments have pledged in the past 24 months to bring 60% of Mena’s emissions under the net-zero ambition, businesses overall have yet to follow suit and bridge the gap with comparable global markets –12% have set up a net-zero target and 6% have established a roadmap to reach net zero.
“Successfully transitioning to a sustainable future will hinge on bold measures from policymakers and companies, raising awareness and multi-stakeholder partnerships”, said Tom De Waele, managing partner of Bain & Company Middle East.
With abundant natural resources like solar and wind energy, and significant land availability, the region could become a global leader in scaling new energy pathways, such as renewables and clean hydrogen.
Coupled with capital availability and decisive governance in the largest economies, these characteristics could facilitate Mena’s transition to a decarbonised economy while helping it meet the growing international demand for clean energy.
The report offers a tailored roadmap for regional policy-makers and businesses to advance sustainability action and facilitate economic diversification through the energy transition, considering the characteristics and needs of both the GCC and non-Gulf countries alike.
To safeguard economic growth and global energy influence, Gulf nations should focus on technology-based solutions that reduce emissions in challenging sectors, optimise consumption, transition to renewables and implement carbon capture at scale.
Upskilling in green jobs through skill development programmes and industry partnerships will be crucial across the region.