 |
| Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman speaks during the Future Investment Initiative Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia October 24, 2018. (File photo by=Bandar Algaloud/Reuters) |
[Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] RIYADH: Just days before the COP26 global climate summit, top crude exporter Saudi Arabia will aim to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2060, its de facto ruler said on Saturday (Oct 23), AFP reported.
The kingdom, one of the world's biggest polluters, said it would also join a global effort to cut methane emissions by 30 percent by 2030.The UN says more than 130 countries have set or are considering a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2050, a target it says is "imperative" to safeguard a livable climate."I announce today Saudi Arabia's target to reach net zero emissions by 2060 through its circular carbon economy approach," said Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in a recorded statement at the "Saudi Green Initiative" forum. A statement said Saudi Arabia would "contribute to cutting global methane emissions by 30 percent by 2030, as part of its commitment to deliver a cleaner, greener future".
COP26 President Alok Sharma welcomed the announcement. Saudi Arabia is estimated to emit about 600 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, more than France and slightly less than Germany. The year 2050 has become a focus for carbon neutrality, defined as achieving a balance between emitting carbon and absorbing carbon from the atmosphere.
