All eyes are on Saudi Arabia as it pioneers a just transition at scale

The Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) is an ambitious national initiative that is focused on combating climate change, improving quality of life, and protecting the environment for future generations. Launched in 2021 by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, SGI is a whole-of-society initiative, uniting all efforts in the country to rapidly scale up the Kingdom’s climate action.

SGI supports Saudi Arabia’s ambition to reach net zero emissions by 2060 through the circular carbon economy approach and is also accelerating towards a just transition. Three overarching targets guide SGI’s work - emissions reduction, afforestation, and land and sea protection.

In addition, Saudi Arabia’s ambitious Vision 2030 project, launched in 2016, is leveraging the Kingdom's unique strengths – its pivotal role in the Arab and Islamic worlds, its strong investment capabilities and its strategic geographical position – to make a difference to the region’s environment. Vision 2030 is also a blueprint that is diversifying the economy, empowering citizens, creating a vibrant environment for both local and international investors and establishing Saudi Arabia as a global leader.

At the heart of both Vision 2030 and the Saudi Green Initiative is a solid commitment to an environment-first approach that is being seen as an exemplar for other nations to follow in the race to achieve a net zero future.

A combination of projects across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region are set to significantly reduce impacts across the energy value chain and beyond. The Vision 2030 projects include some very specific thinking on lower emission energy generation through renewables, associated vectors, carbon capture and energy efficiency to reduce industrial footprints and complementary projects to reduce societal energy use and increase natural sequestration.

This is all in the context of building better communities and restoring natural environments — key pillars of a just transition that ensures no one is left behind in the shift to a more sustainable future.

The Gulf states’ resources and strategic vision provide a unique platform to advance the global just transition, particularly in some of the harder-to-abate sectors. The plentiful supply of reliable solar and wind, strong financial foundations and their strategic location at the intersection of three continents can help them change the availability and economics of emerging technologies making a big contribution to the global just transition.

As part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s goals to reduce carbon emissions by 278 mtpa by 2030 and hit net zero by 2060, Saudi has activated more than 80 initiatives to help reach the three SGI targets of reducing emissions, greening Saudi and protecting land and sea. The region offers many talking points and learnings as it embarks on one of the world’s most ambitious economic transformations, fuelled by innovation and technology.

So, it’s entirely fitting that the leading event brand driving industrial-scale solutions for a net zero future, Innovation Zero, is coming to Riyadh on 14-15 October 2025 with the launch of its MENA Congress. The event, which connects leaders of the future economy, will explore decarbonisation across multiple sectors including environment, energy and industry, circular carbon economy, finance, advanced technologies and cities and infrastructure. The congress will provide an unparalleled and unique opportunity for solution providers across the MENA region to engage positively and proactively with a rapidly evolving market and drive real impact on a global scale.

With many world-class businesses, leading politicians, solutions providers and key opinion formers expected to be present in Riyadh, the event is set to be MENA’s most prestigious net zero congress and really is the place to be this October for all those actively engaged in the global just transition.

Innovation Zero MENA Congress takes place on 14-15 October 2025 in Misk City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Find out more at www.innovationzero.com