Saudi Arabia joins Global CCS Institute

Saudi Arabia has joined the Global CCS Institute, the think tank, focused on scaling up carbon capture and storage technology, announced on October 11.

The Global CCS Institute comprises more than 200 members in 33 countries, including 13 government members. Joining the organisation will Saudi Arabia in its plans to become a regional leader in CCS development, Saudi Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said in a statement.

“CCS is a needed technology that will drive a low-emission transition across hard-to-abate industries,” he said. “In 2022, Saudi Arabia announced plans to develop one of the largest CCS hubs in the world, where 44mn tonnes of CO2 will be mitigated annually through CCS efforts in Jubail by 2035.”

“Getting ambitious climate projects off the ground will require partnerships and region-specific expertise and knowledge, and being a member of the Global CCS Institute will enhance that further,” he said.

Saudi Arabia is targeting net-zero emissions by 2060, with CCS set to play a key role in reaching that goal. The Global CCS Institute said it would provide Saudi Arabia expertise to drive the accelerated deployment of the technology.

While there are over 250 CCS projects at various stages of development globally, the institute said that number would need to grow 100-fold for international climate targets to be met by mid-century.

“Saudi Arabia’s geological storage capacity makes the country an excellent candidate for CCS deployment and industrial decarbonisation efforts,” it said.