Facing the Storm: Gulf States Build Climate Resilience
Gulf governments are working to shift their strategies from natural disaster response to preemptive resilience strategies by identifying and mitigating risks before disasters occur.
Aisha Al-Sarihi
Non-Resident Fellow, AGSIW; Research Fellow, National University of Singapore’s Middle East Institute
Aisha Al-Sarihi is a non-resident fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington and research fellow at the National University of Singapore’s Middle East Institute. Her areas of research interest include political economy of environmental sustainability, energy policy, renewables, and climate policies, with a focus on the Arab region. In addition to scientific publications, her research has appeared in different media outlets including Al Arabiya TV, Reuters, The Associated Press, The New Arab, Arab News, Asia Times, Earth Island Journal, and Oman Daily Observer.
She is a former research associate at KAPSARC as well as a former visiting scholar at Georgetown University’s Center for Contemporary Arab Studies and the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. She also served as a research officer at the London School of Economics and Political Science’s Middle East Centre. Al-Sarihi holds a PhD from the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial College London, and an MSc and a BSc, with distinction, in environmental science from Sultan Qaboos University.
Blog Post content-type in which the post is published
COPs, Oil Exporters, and Their Role in the Energy Transition
On April 4, AGSIW hosted a discussion on COP and the energy transition.
Blog Post content-type in which the post is published
Oman Steps Up Low-Carbon Ambitions
For Oman, the transition to cleaner energy sources is both an imperative and a practical economic path to a more sustainable future.
Blog Post content-type in which the post is published
From Sharm el Sheikh to Dubai: What to Expect From the UAE as Host of COP28
COP28 is expected to create momentum for the Gulf states to advance their climate action ambitions and climate policy implementation.
Blog Post content-type in which the post is published
Gulf States Hedge Against Global Energy Transition, Now With Hydrogen
Gulf Arab states are well positioned to join global forces to accelerate the development of clean hydrogen, but first they will have to cautiously address institutional, technical, cultural, and market barriers.
Climate Commitments: Less Reason for the Arab Region to Cop Out?
On March 29, AGSIW and the National University of Singapore’s Middle East Institute co-hosted a panel discussion examining the Arab region's positions on climate change.
Blog Post content-type in which the post is published
Oman’s Tradition of Environmental Protection Runs Into Economic Headwinds
The Omani government’s focus on protecting the natural environment and wildlife goes back decades, but a shift in authorities might jeopardize the country’s progress toward advancing its national climate strategy.
Toward a Green Recovery in the Gulf States
On July 23, AGSIW hosted a virtual panel discussion examining climate-related challenges to Gulf economic revival plans amid the pandemic.
Blog Post content-type in which the post is published
The Gulf Arab States’ Mixed Record on Climate Action
All of the Gulf states have made progress in addressing climate change, but by the end of 2019, only the UAE and Oman had established national climate action plans.
Blog Post content-type in which the post is published
Challenges to Maximizing Renewables in Oman's Energy Mix
For the Gulf Arab states, renewables could contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions while also supporting economic goals of meeting increasing domestic energy demand and creating jobs.
Publications content-type in which the post is published
Climate Change and Economic Diversification in Saudi Arabia: Integrity, Challenges, and Opportunities
While Saudi Arabia’s long involvement in global climate change negotiations has attracted mounting attention, little is known about the kingdom’s climate change governance at the domestic level or its progress in terms of addressing climate change in line with economic diversification.
Tackling Climate Change: Are the Gulf Arab States Doing Enough?
As the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was taking place in Poland, AGSIW hosted a discussion examining efforts by the Gulf Arab countries to tackle climate change, both in terms of mitigation and adaptation.
Blog Post content-type in which the post is published
How Can Carbon Pricing Support Economic Diversification in the Arab Gulf States?
The Gulf states are in many ways among the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Carbon pricing could be a useful tool to meet emissions reduction goals and hence reduce the adverse climate impacts on the region, while at the same time presenting opportunities for economic diversification.
Blog Post content-type in which the post is published
Facing the Dual Challenge of Energy Security and Climate Change: The Oman Example
To meet the dual challenge of energy security and climate change, the Gulf Arab states need a holistic understanding of energy systems when planning an advantageous energy mix.
Blog Post content-type in which the post is published
Why Oil- and Gas-Rich Gulf Arab States are Turning to Coal
Burning coal produces almost double the amount of carbon dioxide than other fossil fuels such as diesel or natural gas. In 2015, coal accounted for 45 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions.
Publications content-type in which the post is published
Integrating Climate Change Policies with Economic Diversification Strategies: Challenges and Opportunities in Oman and the UAE
Since the 1930s, the Arab Gulf states have been defined by their hydrocarbon wealth.
Blog Post content-type in which the post is published
Saudi Arabia and Climate Change: From Systematic Obstructionism to Conditional Acceptance
Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil producer, is expected to double its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 2014 levels.
Blog Post content-type in which the post is published
Implications of Climate Policies for Gulf States’ Economic Diversification Strategies
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fifth Assessment Report indicates that each of the last three decades has been successively warmer at the Earth’s surface than any preceding decade since 1850.