Saudi Arabia Promises 'Net Zero' Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2060

Cue a grain of salt.

1 minute read

October 26, 2021, 6:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Dammam, Saudi Arabia

Chris worldwide / Shutterstock

"Saudi Arabia's crown prince pledged Saturday that OPEC's largest producer will reach 'net zero' greenhouse gas emissions by 2060," reports Sarah Dadouch.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made the announcement in a televised appearance at the first Saudi Green Initiative Forum.

The announcement also marks a drastic shift from previous statements from Suadi leadership. "Previously, the powerful Saudi energy minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, had ridiculed the International Energy Agency's 2050 target for reaching net-zero emissions, calling it 'a sequel to [the] 'La La Land' movie,'" according to Dadouch.

The news comes with a large caveat: the announcement did not include a commitment to slow the country's investments in new oil and gas development, nor did it include many details about how the country would reach net zero. "The prince emphasized his intention to turn the Saudi capital, Riyadh, into one of world’s most sustainable global cities. He vowed by 2030 to plant 450 million trees, to rehabilitate nearly 20 million acres of land — about the size of South Carolina — and to reduce 278 million tons of carbon emissions a year," reports Dadouch of the details included in the speech.

Saturday, October 23, 2021 in The Washington Post

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 30, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Close-up on Canadian flag with Canada Parliament building blurred in background.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?

As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

April 28, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Hot air balloons rise over Downtown Boise with the State Capitol building visible amidst the high rises.

The Five Most-Changed American Cities

A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.

April 23, 2025 - GoodMigrations

People biking along beach path with moored ship in San Diego, California.

San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan

The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.

5 hours ago - SD News

Sleeping in Public

Housing, Supportive Service Providers Brace for Federal Cuts

Organizations that provide housing assistance are tightening their purse strings and making plans for maintaining operations if federal funding dries up.

6 hours ago - KSL

Conductor walks down platform next to Amtrak train at station in San Jose, California.

Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement

An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.

7 hours ago - Streetsblog USA

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Senior Manager Operations, Urban Planning

New York City School Construction Authority

Building Inspector

Village of Glen Ellyn

Manager of Model Development

Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO