Saudi Arabia names senior diplomat as first climate envoy
May 30, 2022, 8:55 am

Saudi Arabia names senior diplomat as first climate envoy

Saudi Arabia's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir speaks during a joint news conference with U.S. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia June 29, 2020. (Reuters)

The Bloomberg reported, Saudi Arabia appointed a veteran diplomat and former ambassador to the US as climate envoy, a task that had previously been mostly managed by the same ministry that controls oil production.

According to a royal order issued on Sunday, Adel Al-Jubeir, minister of state for foreign affairs, will take on the role in addition to his current job. Al-Jubeir had previously served as foreign minister -- a separate title.

It wasn’t immediately clear what the appointment means for the climate policy of the world’s largest crude oil exporter -- which has typically been directed by officials in its Ministry of Energy.

In addition to setting crude production policy, the energy ministry also employs a chief climate negotiator named Khalid Abuleif, charged with representing the kingdom’s interests while hashing out climate agreements abroad.

Saudi Arabia has recently made a raft of announcements of new initiatives as it looks to improve its reputation on climate change.

It announced a plan to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2060 in October, amid pressure from the US and Europe to accelerate policy to tackle global warming, but has also committed to investing more in oil and gas production arguing that the world needs more hydrocarbons as it transitions to cleaner fuels.

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Al-Jubeir held key diplomacy positions during a period that saw heavy lobbying from the US government to convince countries that were typically reticent to support a global climate pact to instead sign on.

The Paris climate agreement was signed by almost every country in the world and it was ratified in November 2016.

Source: bloomberg

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”