As the 52nd National Day flashes and COP 27 live.. Ambassador Abdullah Al-Rahbi: Oman Sultanate allocates more than $190 bln for energy transformation 2050

Ashraf AboArafe

The Sultanate of Oman affirmed, before the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 27), which was held in Sharm El-Sheikh from 6-18 November, its commitment to support international efforts to reduce carbon emissions and limit the negative effects of climate change, and implement a plan for energy transition and decarbonization. With investments exceeding $190 billion by 2050.

This came in a speech by Abdullah bin Nasser Al-Rahbi, the Sultanate’s ambassador to Egypt and its permanent representative to the League of Arab States, during the round table meetings on the aspirations, plans and measures of countries in climate change before 2030, within the framework of the (COP 27) summit.

In his speech, Al-Rahbi indicated that the Sultanate of Oman announced, last October, that it set the year 2050 as a goal to achieve zero neutrality in greenhouse gas emissions in all development sectors, and initiated a series of detailed workshops and meetings between stakeholders at the national level. In an effort to prepare a roadmap that includes specific projects to reduce emissions at the level of all sectors, and that the Sultanate’s efforts in the field of mitigation were not limited to this announcement only, but rather it implemented many projects to reduce carbon emissions from various sectors, especially renewable energy projects, energy efficiency projects, and projects to reduce burning operations. gas and reduce methane emissions by using advanced monitoring techniques such as satellites and thermal cameras.

* Preparing a national energy transition policy!

Ambassador Al-Rahbi stated that the Sultanate of Oman is about to complete the preparation of a national policy for energy transition, which focuses on setting the general framework, policies and controls related to facilitating and accelerating transformation in the sectors of hydrogen, renewable energy, energy efficiency, sequestration, transportation, use or storage of carbon, and attaches special importance to aspects of adapting to the effects of climate change. ; Due to the increase in the number and intensity of the effects of these changes on our country, such as the significant rise in temperatures during the summer months and the increase in the severity of hurricanes and weather conditions, causing many material and human losses and damages that exceed billions of dollars every year.

* Establish modern early warning systems!

Ambassador Abdullah Al-Rahbi added that the Sultanate had taken the initiative to pump billions of dollars to establish modern early warning systems, build an integrated system of storage and protection dams, improve urban planning and drainage facilities, and enhance infrastructure such as streets, water, electricity and communications installations, with the aim of enhancing response to the risks of climatic conditions and limiting the damages resulting therefrom.

* Developing the system of natural reserves!

Al-Rahbi stressed in his speech that the Sultanate of Oman – in order to reduce emissions and improve adaptation efforts – took the initiative to develop a system of terrestrial, wet and marine natural reserves, to reach about 25 reserves, in which various types of wildlife are spread, in addition to the establishment of many breeding centers for threatened wildlife. to extinction.

In the same context, the national campaign was launched to plant millions of wild trees, mangroves and coral reefs in various parts of Oman, in addition to encouraging various groups of society to plant trees in various environments and urban gatherings.

Ambassador Al-Rahbi affirmed the Sultanate’s endeavor to support regional efforts by all means, as during this conference the Omani Investment Authority signed a memorandum of understanding with the Saudi company ACWA Power to discuss joint investment opportunities in a renewable wind energy project with a capacity of (1.1 Gw) in Egypt, and the Sultanate of Oman welcomes all forms of cooperation and partnership on In various fields, especially cooperation in promoting aspects of energy transition, providing clean energy and low-carbon products, as well as cooperation in the areas of carbon certificates, natural solutions for carbon absorption, and the development of monitoring and early warning systems of natural hazards.