[OP-ED] Renewable Energy Transition in the Middle East Needs Cooperation, not Finger Pointing

A sign in protest of the COP27 conference in November. Photo: Kiara Worth / UN News

In light of the COP27 conference that was held this past month in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, the focus on renewable energy has moved to the Middle East. 

This year’s annual global climate summit resulted in the Sharm el-Sheikh Implementation Plan, marked by a commitment to supply disadvantaged nations with the resources to combat climate change disasters. 

Natural disasters have become especially devastating in Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) countries, which face unparalleled rising temperatures, water shortages, and an acute susceptibility to extreme weather. 

A 2016 research project funded by the EU noted that temperatures in the region have doubled since 1970, and the threat posed to the region’s 500 million or so inhabitants is only increasing. By the end of the century, temperatures could increase by seven degrees celsius. 

Geopolitical instability coupled with widespread natural disasters have left 50 million people suffering from chronic malnourishment, and over 45 percent of all UN-registered refugees reside  in the Middle East and North Africa. 

At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, flooding spread through Egypt, Iran, Tunisia, and wildfires have become increasingly common in Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey.

The question of climate policy and renewable energy transition is filled with contradictions in the Middle East. The poorest residents have borne the brunt of climate change repercussions, food and water shortages, and displacement. 

On the other hand, oil-rich countries like Qatar have boasted record-breaking revenues from oil exports while simultaneously being responsible for the highest carbon emissions per capita in the world. 

MENA countries have faced accusations of “greenwashing” by redirecting international attention to energy initiatives and away from human rights abuses. 

The well-known climate activist, Greta Thunberg, even denounced the COP27 conference as an opportunity for “greenwashing, lying, and cheating.” It is clear that there must be a long-term solution implemented in the Middle East to fight global warming, however deeply entrenched or intractable the obstacles may seem. The transition to renewable energy presents both opportunities and challenges, but the emphasis must be on the former if tangible reform is ever going to happen. 

Is it possible for the Middle East to truly embrace renewable technologies? In short, yes, but it will require a sustained cooperative effort, beginning with the region’s countries themselves. Many of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have pledged sustainable energy targets and invested significantly in renewable technologies and infrastructure. 

Take the United Arab Emirates (UAE), for example, which has set goals to source half of all energy from non-fossil fuels by 2050, and is expected to derive 20 percent of electricity from clean sources in the next few years. Saudi Arabia has also contended for recognition as an emerging leader in renewables, spearheading the Middle East Green Initiative and pledging to reduce carbon emissions from oil and gas by 60 percent. 

The list of promises from MENA countries goes on, but what really counts is the ability of these countries to transform pledges into real solutions, and the potential for this transition is there. 

With an abundance of sunlight and expansive, non-populated desert areas, the possibility for widespread solar power reliance can be achieved. The UAE has embraced solar energy harvesting as an alternative to fossil fuels, especially considering its decreasing costs relative to natural gas prices, for instance. 

Just 30 miles south of Dubai, the UAE holds the largest single-site solar park with over 5,000-megawatt generation capacity expected by 2030. For reference, the typical coal plant is just 600 megawatts in size.

An oil site at Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia. Christophe Viseux / New York Times

These technologies do not come without cost, and the IMF estimates that Middle Eastern countries will need roughly US$770 billion in renewable energy investment to reach reduction targets by 2030. This is an immense sum, amounting to over one-fifth of the Middle East’s combined GDP, and the risks of diverting funds to developing renewable energy cannot be ignored. 

According to the IMF report, “Vulnerable people and businesses that rely on cheap energy would be particularly affected…economic growth could temporarily slow, inflation could increase.” 

In Jordan, where the government has attempted to slash oil subsidies in recent years, protests have erupted in response to high costs. A gradual strategy should be put in place to reach energy efficiency and there needs to be a robust effort to support this transition. 

Analysts argue that despite the appeal of an all-out switch to clean energy, countries in the Middle East will necessitate continued production of fossil fuels to compensate for short supply and high prices. If governments attempt to make this transition too quickly, this threatens both the economic stability of residents and safety in the region if political tensions escalate. 

The role of NGOs and international mediators is particularly crucial in the context of geopolitical tension and its intersection with energy supply. 

MENA governments have consistently weaponized resources like water in civil conflict. In Yemen, Saudi Arabia has cut off clean water access to local populations, further exacerbating the ongoing humanitarian crisis. 

Fighting between Syrian regime forces and ISIS militants left water plants and sewage plants severely damaged, and Israel has damaged water facilities in Palestinian cities and refugee camps during times of escalation. 

This is why energy cooperation should be both the main driver of enacting solutions to climate change and political conflict. Agreements in energy have already served to bolster ties between Israel, Jordan, and the UAE, which signed a historic deal in 2021.

Wealthy Gulf states can help offset this economic impact in the short term, which demands cooperation between Middle Eastern countries. This cooperation is possible, despite the wide array of intractable conflicts and civil wars that have plagued the region. 

Even Israel, whose historic conflict with the Arab world is considered unsolvable, signed groundbreaking peace agreements with several Arab nations in the Abraham Accords of 2020. 

Israel and Morocco are already showing signs of energy cooperation following normalization in the effort to supply green hydrogen power. If international pressure and diplomatic efforts can help foster collaboration between nations on the political and economic front, this will be a key step toward enacting a clean energy policy. 

The tools exist for countries to follow up on their pledges, and as targets continue to be set for policy the emphasis should remain on cooperation, not blame or pessimism.