Your Sustainability Knowledge Hub
Public Private Partnerships in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is a significant projects market in the Middle East and an important player in the field of public private partnerships (PPPs). The implementation of PPPs in Saudi Arabia is shaped by country-specific factors, including the Kingdom’s ambitious 2030 Vision, which aims to diversify the country’s economy. Recent economic reforms have notably included the […]
Webinar – GCC Climate Goals: Hydrogen and the Circular Carbon Economy
This webinar, hosted by Green Bee Group on November 4th, shed light on current and emerging decarbonization trends within the oil and gas economies in the GCC. Insights were given into the role of renewables, with a focus on green hydrogen, as well as the concept of a circular carbon economy, which has gained prominence […]
Can MENA Capital Markets Drive Impact Investment?
The call for sustainability has long been limited to a few selected groups and individuals, typically within the public sector. As of late, the importance of sustainable behaviour has been acknowledged more broadly, including in companies and financial institutions. While sustainable financing and business practices began to spread around the globe, they have remained rare […]
Public Private Partnerships in the Middle East and Africa.
Governments in the Middle East and Africa are increasingly turning to Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in their efforts to develop state infrastructure, provide state services, and boost their national economies. PPPs are often linked to large-scale development projects in the region, combining much needed private capital with political responsibility and power. While some praise PPPs for […]
Webinar – MENA Post-COVID: Economic Recovery & China’s Role
The Green Bee Group webinar on MENA Post-COVID explored what economic recovery would look like for MENA countries. The webinar provided opportunities for suggestions regarding practical action to be taken by governments, international organisations and the private sector to remove obstacles and create opportunities for a more inclusive transition towards a sustainable growth agenda. In […]
The ‘Safer’ Oil Tanker: Defusing an Environmental Time Bomb in the Red Sea
In this podcast we summarize a discussion we recently moderated on a looming environmental catastrophe off the coast of Yemen, which, if it was to occur, would lead to an oil leak 100 times the size of the recent Mauritius spill. The source of this threat is the FSO Safer, an offshore storage vessel near […]
Webinar – Averting a Major Oil Spill off Yemen’s Coast: Economic, Humanitarian & Environmental Risks of the Deserted ‘Safer’ Oil Tanker
Off the coast of Yemen lies a decayed oil tanker threatening a major oil spill. According to some estimates, the recent spill in Mauritius would resemble only 1% of the magnitude of this spill if it is to occur. Built in 1976, the ‘Safer’ Floating Storage Offloading vessel (FSO) has not undergone any documented maintenance […]
Green Hydrogen: Fuel of the Future?
In 2020, interest in ‘green’, or renewable, hydrogen has been skyrocketing. In early July, the EU Commission announced its goal to make hydrogen an intrinsic part of Europe’s integrated energy system by 2030. A month earlier, Nikola, a US start-up that manufactures hydrogen fuel cell and electric trucks, had joined the stock market, referring to […]
Incubating Peace? Business Incubators in Conflict Settings
Small- and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have the potential to empower and benefit rural communities as well as marginalized members of society, such as youth, women, and internally displaced people (IDPs). Moreover, the United Nations Security Council proclaimed in 2004 that domestic SMEs can create employment opportunities to demobilized fighters. Notwithstanding their potential benefits, the […]
Can Cheap Oil Spur Climate Change Initiatives?
Oil and gas were among the first commodities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The demand for oil, especially fuels, is estimated to plunge to a record-low 9.3 million barrels per day (mb/d) in 2020. Countries across the world have imposed voluntary lock downs, thereby causing an unprecedented reduction in travel and transportation – two key […]
Covid-19 and its Impact on Conflict and Peacemaking in MENA
The outbreak of Covid-19 in the MENA region will affect social and political life for decades to come. The pandemic will have an impact on peace processes in particular, constituting an opportunity and a risk at the same time. The extent to which the Covid-19 could aid renewed efforts of peacemaking will depend on the […]
Human Rights Due Diligence in African Supply Chains
Public pressure is mounting on businesses to protect human rights along their supply chains. Governments around the world began translating the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) into law. These developments impact human rights due diligence in African supply chains.
Why Should MENA Companies Invest in Sustainability Reporting?
Sustainability reporting allows investors to identify firms with sustainable investment opportunities. It also provides investors with relevant information on long-term risks and value. Through sustainability reporting, MENA companies can explain how they mitigate ESG-related risks.
In a global financial system that increasingly rewards sustainability, disclosures promise capital. In MENA countries, companies with sustainability reports will stand out to foreign investors.
How to Promote Infrastructure PPPs in MENA
PPPs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are often restricted to technology-intensive sectors. To date, they have rarely been adopted in social infrastructure projects.
This briefing puts forth six recommendations that help facilitate a broader implementation of PPPs in the MENA region.