Saudi Arabia, World's Largest Crude Oil Exporter, Appoints First Climate Envoy

Adel Al-Jubeir appointed as Saudi Arabia's first climate envoy
Photo by EPA Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Byunghee Park] Bloomberg reported on the 29th (local time) that Saudi Arabia, the world's largest crude oil exporter, has appointed its first climate envoy.

According to an order issued by the Saudi royal family on the same day, Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir was appointed as the climate envoy. Minister Al-Jubeir will handle climate envoy duties alongside his existing diplomatic responsibilities.

Previously in Saudi Arabia, the Energy Minister was responsible for external climate agreement-related tasks. This time, a new position has been created to take charge of climate agreement-related duties.

Bloomberg analyzed that it is difficult to immediately determine what impact the appointment of the climate envoy will have on Saudi Arabia's environmental policies. While the appointment of a new climate envoy could mark the beginning of a full-scale push for eco-friendly policies, it could also mean that the climate envoy will play a role in protecting the interests of Saudi Arabia's existing oil industry amid growing demands for green policies.

Saudi Arabia is promoting 'Saudi Vision 2030,' which aims to diversify its oil-centered industrial structure. However, on the other hand, Saudi Arabia maintains that more fossil fuels will be needed until the transition to green energy is complete and still plans to invest more in oil and gas production. This stance contrasts with many countries that are reducing fossil fuel investments.

At the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change held in the UK at the end of last year, Saudi Arabia announced its goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. This was somewhat later than many developed countries, which set their carbon neutrality target for 2050.

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