DUBAI: Saudi Arabia has committed to play a key role in the development of renewable fuel sources and clean energy technology.
The Kingdom will join a core group of 23 nations and international bodies that signed up for an initiative called Mission Innovation 2.0 during an event in the Chilean capital Santiago. The group is expected to inject $250 billion of investment into renewable energy innovation over the next decade.
Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdul Aziz bin Salman told the virtual event: “Saudi Arabia is committed to promote technologies and solutions that address greenhouse gas emissions under the Circular Carbon Economy platform through accelerating research, development, deployment and dissemination of such technology.”
The pledge is just the latest Saudi move into the key area of renewables and technology in the campaign to achieve climate change targets under the Paris Agreement.
Earlier this year, the Kingdom announced its “Saudi Green” plan, under which 50 percent of domestic energy would be produced from renewable energy sources by 2030 and 10 billion trees would be planted in the country to help mitigate carbon emissions in the atmosphere.
Saudi Arabia has also signed an agreement with Germany to collaborate on the production and transportation of “green hydrogen,” which some experts regard as the “fuel of the future” to eventually replace fossil fuels.
Last week, Prince Abdul Aziz told a meeting of the OPEC+ oil alliance that the Kingdom had a head start in renewable fuels and would push forward with its climate change plans, while continuing to pursue cleaner and more efficient methods of hydrocarbon use.
“Saudi Arabia is no longer just an oil-producing country, but an energy-producing country, and a very competitive one. We can produce low-cost oil and gas, and renewables like solar. We are also the lowest cost producer of hydrogen. We are going to be the winner in all these activities,” he said.
The Kingdom will take part in two of the Mission Innovation sectors — Clean Hydrogen and Green-powered Future.
The first aims to increase the cost-competitiveness of clean hydrogen by reducing end-to-end costs to $2 per kilogram by 2030. The second aims to demonstrate that by 2030 power systems in different geographies and climates are able to effectively integrate up to 100 percent variable renewable energies in their generation mix and maintain a cost-efficient, secure and resilient system.
US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry said: “The launch of Mission Innovation 2.0 is an important step forward to reach our collective climate goals. Reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 will require urgent action by 2030, both to deploy the clean energy technologies we already have as well as to develop, demonstrate, and scale the innovations we’ll need to fully decarbonize the global economy.”
KSA takes lead in $250bn climate change drive
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KSA takes lead in $250bn climate change drive
- The group is expected to inject $250 billion of investment into renewable energy innovation over the next decade
Building bridges: Saudi Arabia leads Gulf-Asia tech leap
ALKHOBAR: Saudi Arabia is forging new academic connections with Asia as the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 accelerates reforms in education and innovation.
Two academics — Prof. Eman AbuKhousa, a data science professor at the University of Europe for Applied Sciences in Dubai, and Prof. Hui Kai-Lung, acting dean of the HKUST Business School in Hong Kong —emphasize that the Kingdom’s transformation is reshaping the development of artificial intelligence and fintech talent across the region.
For AbuKhousa, responsible AI is not just about technology; it is fundamentally about intention. “It is about aligning technology with human values: ensuring fairness, transparency, and accountability in every system we build.”
She highlighted that the Middle East’s heritage of trust and ethics gives the region a competitive advantage. “Institutions should embed ethics and cultural context into AI education and create multidisciplinary labs where engineers collaborate with social scientists and ethicists,” she said.
At the University of Europe for Applied Sciences in Dubai, AbuKhousa trains students to question data, identify bias, and integrate integrity into innovation.
“Educators must model responsible use by explaining how data is sourced and decisions are made,” she explained. “Ultimately, responsible AI is less about algorithms than about intention; teaching future innovators to ask not only ‘Can we?’ but ‘Should we?’”
She further noted:“Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 has turned digital education into a national movement placing technology and innovation at the heart of human development.”
AbuKhousa emphasized the transformative opportunities for women in the Kingdom: “Today, Saudi female students are designing models, leading AI startups, and redefining what digital leadership looks like.”
Prof. Hui views this transformation through the lens of fintech. “Fintech is deeply embedded in Vision 2030, serving as a key enabler of its three pillars: a vibrant society, a thriving economy, and an ambitious nation,” he said.
Hui stressed that Saudi Arabia’s investment capacity and modern regulatory framework “create a conducive environment for innovation.” Having collaborated with Aramco, The Financial Academy, and Prince Mohammed Bin Salman College of Business and Entrepreneurship, he highlighted the strategic potential of the Kingdom’s young population. “The Kingdom has one of the youngest populations in the world, with a median age below 30,” he said.
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“This demographic presents a tremendous opportunity for higher education to shape future leaders, and our collaborations in Saudi Arabia are highly targeted to support this goal.”
AbuKhousa argued that universities must lead innovation rather than follow it. “Universities must evolve from teaching institutions into innovation ecosystems,” she said. “The real bridge between research and industry lies in applied collaboration: joint labs, shared data projects, and co-supervised capstones where students solve live industry challenges.”
“At UE Dubai, we’ve introduced an Honorary Senate of Business Leaders to strengthen that bridge, bringing decision-makers directly into the learning process,” she added.
DID YOU KNOW?
Vision 2030 has made digital education central to Saudi Arabia’s development strategy.
Women in Saudi Arabia are now designing AI models and leading startups.
Universities are transforming into innovation ecosystems bridging research and industry.
Cross-border collaborations with Hong Kong and Dubai are accelerating fintech and AI growth.
Hui noted that cross-border cooperation between Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia is growing rapidly. “Saudi Arabia’s scale, strategic location, and leadership in the Arab world offer Hong Kong an ideal partner,” he said. “Hong Kong’s academic and regulatory experience can help the Kingdom fast-track its digital transformation.”
He highlighted lessons from Hong Kong’s fintech journey. “Hong Kong’s fintech journey offers critical lessons for Saudi Arabia, particularly in creating a balanced ecosystem for innovation,” he said. “Education and regulation are both important. We need education at all levels and beyond schools to expose people to these ideas; having diverse and rich experiences also helps, as the education needs to be supplemented by real-life implementation and usage experience. That is what Hong Kong can offer.”
AbuKhousa emphasized that women’s participation in technology must extend beyond access to influence. “Empowering women in technology begins with reimagining representation: from inclusion to influence,” she said. “We need more women not only learning tech, but leading teams, designing systems, and shaping AI policy. Institutions must normalize women’s presence in decision-making spaces and provide visible mentorship networks to counter imposter syndrome.”
Both experts agreed that innovation must remain human-centered and accountable. “As AI becomes integral to financial systems, governments must strike a careful balance between innovation, data ethics, and compliance,” Hui said. “Establishing clear regulatory frameworks and transparency standards is crucial.”
AbuKhousa concurred, emphasizing the role of education in AI adoption: “Educators must position generative AI as a thinking partner, not a shortcut. The goal is to teach students how to use AI critically, not merely that they can.”
Hui predicts that “AI, blockchain, and cybersecurity will be transformative forces in the region’s financial sector.” AbuKhousa sees a similar momentum in education: “The Gulf is entering a defining phase where AI becomes the backbone of education and workforce development.”
The experts concluded that the Kingdom’s digital transformation, anchored in Vision 2030, is connecting classrooms, industries, and continents through human-centered innovation.
