Excerpt: The Saudis continue to renege in agreements as a result of a tendency to nit-pick over wording and other semantics in particular climate conferences. This has arguably been done to slow climate progress, for the ultimate goal of the Saudi delegation was not to come to a consensus for the sake of the planet; it was instead to preserve the oil industry for as long as possible. This is something seen by the global community as increasingly troubling.
Oftentimes, members of an industrialized Western culture, contain skewed perceptions regarding the rest of the world. This can especially be the case when it comes to climate change; countries in the Global North, such as Canada and the United States, tend to not be the ones experiencing the full extent of climate change. The introduction of solar panels, composting initiatives, eco-friendly in-home technologies, and more in recent decades has made it easy to become optimistic about the future. However, the average citizen is rarely privy to the fallout from politics constantly unfolding behind the scenes. And it is frequently these politics that are contributing to dangerously slow climate progress, far slower than is necessary. A key player in the global climate regime is Saudi Arabia – a country known for its contributions to and dependence on the petroleum industry. Saudi Arabia can be observed constantly refusing to make serious changes in the name of global climate progress. If efforts are not made quickly, this attitude of nonchalance will have devastating implications for not just the Saudi population, but for the entire world.
Oil was first discovered in Saudi Arabia in 1938. Due to the events of World War II, oil production was slowed until the mid-1940s. It was during the mid-40s then that past investments in oil production rapidly became inadequate to meet global needs after the war; causing the prices of oil to skyrocket. The Saudi Arabian hold on the oil industry finally solidified as it began exploiting such price changes alongside its abundant supply of the resource. Today, the country’s oil reserves are ranked first globally. Saudi Arabia’s exports deal almost exclusively in petroleum. Oil is one of the country’s primary sources of income — two-thirds of the government’s revenue comes out of this commodity. Saudi Arabia has set itself to a diversification initiative, entitled “Vision 2030,” through which it hopes to expand the scope of its economy. However, the projects involved are a “huge risk,” according to Business Insider, and there is no guarantee the country will be able to wean itself off of oil in time to meet climate demands. The consistent Saudi push for limitations on climate policy can be explained by this dependence upon the natural resource.
The Conference of the Parties (COP) is vital in advancing global climate policy. COPs serve the purpose of reviewing international emissions, communications, and progress reports for all member states. These conferences take place yearly and play a key role in revealing government attitudes surrounding the issue of climate change. Positions are put on display, and results ultimately speak louder than words. Saudi Arabia has a history of obstruction during these conferences and the last two years of COPs, COP27 (2022) and COP28 (2023) show a continuation of this trend.
COP27 especially was filled with false promises and weak targets on behalf of Saudi Arabia. AP News describes how the country presented itself “as a leader in green energies and eco-friendly practices,” while in reality, the Saudis were hitting new oil records that very year, producing 10.4 million barrels (b/d) – 14% higher than the 9.1 million b/d in 2021. The Saudis announced goals to implement a series of projects, including carbon capture, tree planting, and solar energy. As optimistic as that sounded, critics remained skeptical, arguing that such announcements distract from empirical evidence such as the previously mentioned figures. Saudi Arabia also announced a target to be carbon neutral by 2060. However, this is not nearly ‘enough.’ Carbon neutrality fails to remove emissions at the source; once again displaying the need for the country to take larger strides if globally, if we are to make real progress. COP28 tells a similar story. Saudi Arabia’s unserious attitude towards the conference was first displayed when it announced its delegation, which consisted of at least fifteen undeclared Saudi state oil company employees. This conveyed to the rest of the world that no matter what their representatives said, the Saudis held an underlying motivation to prioritize oil production.
The Saudi Arabian attitude during these conferences has continued to affect the progression of global policy development. Rolling Stone reported on the delegation’s numerous baseless concerns and outlandish, expensive proposals. The nation has accomplished little of a constructive nature and wasted an incredible amount of time. Their attitude at conferences consisted of constant delays and prolonged talks, debates, and meetings with claims lacking in scientific evidence, as well as nit-picking the wording of agreements made at both conferences. This has arguably been done to slow climate progress, for the ultimate goal of the Saudi delegation is not to come to a consensus for the sake of the planet; it is instead to preserve the oil industry for as long as possible. This is something seen by the global community as increasingly troubling.
Saudi Arabia has an unfortunate track record of failing to meet its goals and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The Climate Action Tracker, which makes yearly assessments of countries and their adherence to climate policy targets, released a report in December 2023 that displayed just how insufficient Saudi Arabian climate policy is. Plans to increase oil production additionally reveal how the Saudis are simply not doing enough to meet their pre-existing goals.
However, and quite ironically, Saudi Arabia is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Temperatures in the Middle East have risen far above the global average, and it is expected that portions of the country will become uninhabitable in the relatively near future. Intensified rainfall and flooding are also included in these effects in Saudi Arabia. The country fails to be properly equipped for these natural events, and when they inevitably get worse, casualties and property damage will severely impact the citizenry. Saudi Arabia is thereby hurting its own people by treating climate change as an avoidable issue.
Contradictory positions in the conference room and little follow-through in reality accompany the goals and projects announced by the Saudi delegation. Climate change affects all nations of the world. Therefore, no one country can solve it alone. Global efforts must be made, and because Saudi Arabia is contributing so heavily to climate change, it has an obligation to adjust its policy proportionally. The crisis needs to be taken seriously by important nations as Saudi Arabia; otherwise, the entire world will reap the consequences.
Edited by Willa Morrison
