Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil producer, is expected to double its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 2014 levels. With its annual emissions growth rate of 0.6 percent and slow movement to diversify the economy away from oil – even with its current proposed commitment to reduce annual emissions by up to 130 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent a year by 2030 – if all countries were to follow Saudi Arabia’s approach, global warming would exceed 4 degrees Celsius, warns Climate Action Tracker. This means Saudi Arabia’s proposed annual carbon dioxide emissions reduction is still far from its fair share to limit global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius.
On July 31, the Islamic Republic was once again shaken by rallies beginning in Gohardasht, in Alborz province, and Isfahan, the third largest city in Iran, as Iranians took to the streets to protest rising prices. Bread riots alone, however, are not likely to shake the foundations of the regime. But should the protests spread to other major population centers, and, more importantly, if those demonstrating over prices are joined by upper middle class Iranians demanding freedom, the regime in Tehran is likely to face serious peril.
Al-Medina al-Munawara is known primarily for the Prophet Muhammad’s mosque and his tomb inside it. Visitors to the city can find only a few scattered and poorly maintained monuments. Yet this city in the Hijaz region of western Saudi Arabia has a great ancient history. This negligence in preserving Medina’s heritage, particularly in the face of development and expansionist projects, has left a generation ignorant of their hometown. City residents draw upon their memories and the stories told by city elders to redraw the features of the city and reconnect with its history.
Even as Iran tries to expand its sphere of influence in the Middle East, its peripheral regions and borders are increasingly challenged by armed groups. These groups generally target Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) border outposts. Sometimes, they try to assassinate Iranian central government representatives and their local allies.
Speaking with AFP, Senior Resident Scholar Karen E. Young discussed Aramco's potential acquisition of a "strategic stake" in the petrochemical company SABIC.
Appearing on Iran International TV, Visiting Scholar Ali Alfoneh discussed Major General Qassim Suleimani's warnings to President Donald J. Trump. Alfoneh also discussed the relationship of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to the Iranian government for Radio Farda and he spoke about Iran's parliamentary crisis with Alhurra.
Outreach
Senior Resident Scholar Karen E. Young and Non-Resident Fellow Taimur Khan presented new research on Gulf Cooperation Council and Horn of Africa relations at the 2018 Gulf Research Meeting at the University of Cambridge.
Position Title:Visiting Scholar Period: Spring 2019 Location: Washington, DC
Job Summary: Visiting scholars are individuals who possess a PhD or equivalent professional experience. The length of stay for a visiting scholar is typically a semester or academic year. AGSIW is actively seeking candidates with significant regional experience and fluency in written and spoken Arabic. AGSIW will provide a stipend that can be used to cover living expenses, travel costs, or incidental research expenses. Read more
