The Kingdom made big promises.
Net zero by 2060. Half its electricity from renewables by 2030. Billions for green hydrogen, carbon capture, and clean mobility.
The world noticed. Now the question is simple: where’s the progress?
The climate clock is ticking
KSA’s Vision 2030 didn’t whisper — it roared.
The Saudi Green Initiative pledged to plant 10 billion trees, reduce carbon emissions by 278 million tonnes per year by 2030, and generate 50% of electricity from clean sources. On paper, it’s bold. On the world stage, it plays well.
But five years in? Saudi Arabia generates less than 3% of its electricity from renewables, according to the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KACARE). That’s not a pivot. That’s a reality check.
The pipeline is promising. But pipelines don’t reduce emissions
Let’s look at the facts. Some major projects are moving.
- The Sakaka Solar Plant is live, powering around 75,000 homes.
- The Sudair Solar PV project, at 1.5 GW, is set to be one of the largest in the region.
- The $8.4 billion NEOM Green Hydrogen Project aims to produce 600 tonnes of green hydrogen daily by 2026. If successful, it’ll be the largest of its kind in the world.
These are not ideas. They’re in progress. But the scale of transformation required is enormous. And time is short.
Climate finance is starting to speak Saudi
In 2023, Saudi Arabia issued $6.5 billion in green sukuk, more than double the previous year. It accounted for over half of MENA’s green debt volume. And that’s only one part of the story.
The region as a whole issued $24 billion in green, social, and sustainability bonds — a 155% jump from 2022. The UAE and Saudi Arabia led that surge, contributing roughly 77% of the total.
Capital is no longer the bottleneck. The money is flowing. What matters now is where, and how fast, it’s deployed.
Ambition is good. Accountability is better.
Saudi Arabia is investing billions in renewables, but without clear emissions data, public benchmarks, or regular progress updates, confidence remains shaky.
Domestic and global investors want more transparency. Citizens want more participation. The climate doesn’t care about PR. It responds to emissions.
Pledges are no longer enough. Delivery is the measure that matters.
Saudi doesn’t need to follow. It can lead.
It doesn’t have to copy Europe or the US. It can define its own path, built for deserts, megaprojects, and regional realities.
With the right mix of ambition, infrastructure, and openness, Saudi Arabia can be more than a case study. It can be a model.
CARE KSA is where this gets real
CARE – the Climate Action & Renewable Energy Expo is where pressure meets progress. From ministers and regulators to start-ups and financiers, it’s a room full of people who aren’t waiting for the future. They’re building it.
Hard questions will be asked. Clear answers are expected. The gap between ambition and action is closing, and this is where it’s happening.
This isn’t about climate buzzwords.
It’s about whether Saudi Arabia will lead, or just talk like it will.
Join us on 8-9 December in Riyadh.
