Often, if you ask a person what comes to mind when you mention Saudi Arabia, one of the first things they mention is oil. This has become a stereotype, but in reality, the fossil fuel industry makes up a large part of the Saudi economy. As the government begins their campaign to diversify the economy, is it possible to move away from a sector that produces 42% of GDP and 90% of exports? Will the country take the challenge of climate change and the impact these products have on the phenomenon seriously?

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 has put bold goals and high expectations into the public eye. One of their goals is to reduce their ratio of oil to the total exports of the country. When reading the plan this is presented as an aim to reduce oil to just 40% of the export total by 2030, which is a big challenge to undertake. However, upon further review this is not based in reducing the amount of oil produced. The country is planning to raise the total exports in other categories to balance the current dependence on the industry. With the date that scientists have predicted as the “point of no return” quickly approaching, it would be in the best interest of our global eco-system to look to different ways to produce and export energy.

The national oil company, Saudi ARAMCO, has also set its sights on overhauling how it approaches the process of drilling and extracting oil. They pride themselves as being one of the “most sustainable companies in the world.” There have been efforts made by the company to incorporate sustainable practices into their processes, like using the covered parking as solar panels to harness energy for their offices. However, if they were truly interested in creating a more sustainable environment there would be research and development allocation for creating a different source of fuel. Methane and petroleum are two of the worst pollutants and both the government and the corporation could be funding cutting edge research into the solution. Instead, the company has said that it does not intend to slow down production, but simply create the “greenest” barrel of oil possible.

Saudi Arabia is a country with incredible potential. They are investing in many sectors to expand the reach of their economy and bolster international interaction. They have the opportunity to be a world leader in the energy sector by moving away from traditional sources through research investment. A partnership with a university like KAUST could expand their influence in science and technology. With the future on the line, countries need to step up and take the lead on innovation for a cleaner, more climate friendly future. Hopefully Saudi Arabia can take on the challenge soon.