RIYADH: Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdul Aziz bin Salman recently held a meeting with COP26 President-designate Alok Sharma and discussed ways to enhance cooperation in confronting global climate change.
The Saudi minister highlighted the Kingdom’s qualitative initiatives to help reduce emissions and preserve the environment, foremost of which are the Saudi Green and Middle East Green initiatives.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched these initiatives on March 27. These initiatives are aimed at reducing carbon emissions in the region by 60 percent through the use of clean hydrocarbon technologies and the planting of 50 billion trees, including 10 billion in Saudi Arabia.
The “green” initiatives, which are part of the Vision 2030 strategy, will place Saudi Arabia at the center of regional efforts to meet international targets on climate change mitigation, as well as help it achieve its own goals.
Prince Abdul Aziz and Sharma also discussed the framework of the circular carbon economy adopted by G20 leaders during Saudi Arabia’s presidency in 2020.
While the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region has long been a leading global supplier of fossil fuels, renewables are complementing its own energy mix, offering eco-friendly alternatives such as clean hydrogen fuel to decarbonize and reduce gas emissions.
With around 70 to 90 percent of the Arabian Peninsula facing the threat of desertification, owing to past and ongoing human activities, massive afforestation, and land restoration initiatives hold hope for millions of hectares of degraded land.
Unfortunately, in a G20 meeting held in Italian city, Naples on July 22-23, energy and environment ministers failed to agree on the wording of key climate change commitments in their final communique after China and India refused to give way on two key points.
One of these was phasing out coal power, which most countries wanted to achieve by 2025 but some said would be impossible for them.
The other concerned the wording surrounding a 1.5-2 degree Celsius limit on global temperature increases that was set by the 2015 Paris Agreement.
Average global temperatures have already risen by more than 1 degree compared to the pre-industrial baseline used by scientists and are on track to exceed the 1.5-2 degree ceiling.
“Some countries wanted to go faster than what was agreed in Paris and to aim to cap temperatures at 1.5 degrees within a decade, but others, with more carbon-based economies, said let’s just stick to what was agreed in Paris,” said Italy’s Ecological Transition Minister Roberto Cingolani.
The G20 meeting was seen as a decisive step ahead of United Nations climate talks, known as COP26, which take place in 100 days’ time in Glasgow in November.
Saudi Arabia reiterates its commitment to fight climate change
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Saudi Arabia reiterates its commitment to fight climate change
- Prince Abdul Aziz and Sharma discussed the framework of the circular carbon economy adopted by G20 leaders during Saudi Arabia’s presidency in 2020
Cruise Saudi strengthens global ties as Celestyal makes maiden calls to Jeddah
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia is accelerating its push to become a global cruise hub, with Cruise Saudi — a wholly owned Public Investment Fund subsidiary — expanding international partnerships to draw more travelers to the Kingdom’s Red Sea and Arabian Gulf ports.
The latest milestone came as award-winning Greek cruise line Celestyal completed its first-ever calls to Jeddah, signaling rising global interest in Saudi Arabia’s cultural and natural attractions.
The visits form part of Cruise Saudi’s strategy to build a year-round cruise ecosystem that supports tourism growth, boosts local supply chains, and contributes to the Kingdom’s broader economic diversification.
Three UNESCO World Heritage Sites — AlUla, Jeddah Historic District, and Al-Ahsa Oasis — are now accessible by sea, with curated shore excursions designed to deepen visitor engagement.
Cruise Saudi aims to welcome 1.3 million cruise passengers annually by 2035, creating 50,000 direct and indirect jobs and positioning the Kingdom as a premier international cruise destination.
The 1,360-passenger Celestyal Discovery arrived in Jeddah on Dec. 5, following the 1,260-passenger Celestyal Journey, which made its maiden call on Nov. 29. The Journey concluded a seven-night Athens–Jeddah itinerary with stops in Turkiye and Egypt, marked by a traditional plaque exchange ceremony attended by Cruise Saudi executives, port officials and Celestyal representatives.
Passengers were welcomed with traditional Saudi hospitality and toured Jeddah’s historic Al-Balad district, bustling souks, and cultural sites. Some Muslim travelers also visited Makkah to perform Umrah.
“We are honored to celebrate our maiden call in Jeddah alongside our partners at Cruise Saudi, marking the beginning of a long and effective relationship,” said Lee Haslett, chief commercial officer at Celestyal.
He added that Jeddah’s role as “the cultural heart of Saudi Arabia” presents strong potential for cruise tourism.
Barbara Buczek, chief destination experiences officer at Cruise Saudi, told Arab News: “This maiden Red Sea sailing highlights the strong appeal of the region and aligns with Cruise Saudi's commitment to developing seamless, high-quality cruise experiences in Saudi Arabia.”
She noted that Celestyal’s expanded itineraries reflect rising demand for distinctive Red Sea and Arabian Gulf voyages.
Since its launch in 2021, Cruise Saudi has activated five cruise ports, introduced Aroya Cruises, the Kingdom’s first homegrown cruise line, and established Aman at Sea, an ultra-luxury JV with Aman Group set to launch in 2027. The company manages the full value chain — from terminals and berths to curated excursions — and has already welcomed more than 600,000 passengers of over 120 nationalities.
Celestyal, which carries more than 140,000 passengers annually across two refurbished vessels, is aligning with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 ambition to transform coastal tourism. After departing Jeddah, both Celestyal ships continued to Abu Dhabi to begin the company’s second Arabian Gulf season.
Aroya Cruises has also launched a new seasonal program featuring stops in Mykonos, Athens, Crete, and coastal cities in Turkiye, expanding on a successful inaugural season that attracted over 95,000 guests.
The growing activity underscores Saudi Arabia’s emergence as a world-class cruise destination, supported by modern infrastructure, expanding routes, and experiences that highlight the Kingdom’s culture, heritage and hospitality.
