The global race to cut emissions isn’t going to be won in Brussels or San Francisco. It might be won in the deserts of Saudi Arabia, on the rooftops of Cairo, or in the labs of Abu Dhabi.
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are no longer just reacting to climate change; they’re designing the solutions. From utility-scale solar and green hydrogen to water-saving tech and next-gen grids, this region is becoming one of the most important testbeds for climate innovation on the planet.
And it’s not just ambition. It’s action.
Climate urgency meets capital and intent
The MENA region feels the climate crisis more acutely than most. Summers are longer, hotter, and drier. Water scarcity is growing. Food systems are under pressure.
But that pressure is sparking serious movement.
The UAE is aiming to triple its renewable energy capacity to approximately 14.2 GW by 2030. Saudi Arabia is building the world’s largest green hydrogen plant at NEOM and has pledged net zero by 2060. Morocco is powering homes in Europe with wind and sun.
According to IRENA, MENA added over 5.3 GW of new renewable capacity in 2023. That’s a 12% jump year-on-year, well above the global average.
Not just targets. Real infrastructure.
The Noor Abu Dhabi solar plant already powers nearly 90,000 homes. Morocco’s Noor Complex is now among the largest concentrated solar power projects in the world. Egypt’s Benban Solar Park spans the size of 3,000 football fields and supplies electricity to over 1 million people.
And NEOM’s $8.4 billion green hydrogen venture isn’t a slide in a pitch deck. Construction is underway. The ambition is real.
What makes MENA different?
There’s no shortage of climate targets around the world. The difference here is speed.
Three things are driving it:
- Capital: Gulf sovereign wealth funds have the money, and now, the motivation to go green.
- Climate pressure: These countries can’t afford to wait. Rising heat and shrinking water supplies are non-negotiable.
- Opportunity: Wide-open land. Year-round sun. Political will. This is a region built for renewable scale.
ClimateTech is finding its place
Water innovation, sustainable construction, grid intelligence, waste-to-energy — MENA needs it all. And for start-ups, that’s a chance to build, test, and scale fast. You’re not waiting five years for policy approval. You’re not lost in a sea of red tape. You’re solving real problems, in real-time, with serious backers.
Climate action doesn’t move without money. And in MENA, the money is starting to flow faster, and in the right direction. In 2023, the region raised a record $24 billion through green, social, and sustainability bonds, a 155% leap from 2022. The UAE and Saudi Arabia led the charge, issuing more than three-quarters of the total.
And it’s not just capital on paper. That money is now backing real infrastructure—megaprojects like NEOM’s green hydrogen plant, Masdar’s global clean energy push, and solar farms stretching across Morocco’s desert.
CARE brings it all together
CARE – the Climate Action & Renewable Energy Expo is where the region’s energy transition gets real. Business leaders, regulators, investors, founders, and innovators. They’re all in one room. Sharing what’s working, what isn’t, and what’s coming next.
Start-ups pitch. Policymakers commit. Corporates cut deals.
It is the ultimate business platform for people who want to shape outcomes, not wait for them.
The takeaway
MENA isn’t a footnote in the climate story. It’s a frontline. What works here could shape solutions everywhere, from Nairobi to New Delhi to New York.
If you’re serious about ClimateTech, clean energy, or sustainable infrastructure, keep your eyes on this region. Or better yet, join us at CARE and be part of it.
