The Saudi delegation to the 22nd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP22) takes its place at the conference table in Marrakech, Morocco, at a time when the Kingdom is at a historic juncture. The Kingdom is in transformation, evidenced by Vision 2030, its comprehensive holistic development road map.
The nation, its key stakeholders and institutions are mobilized to make efforts for diversifying its economy away from a heavy over-reliance on hydrocarbons.
Last year, Saudi Arabia demonstrated on the world stage that it takes the issue of climate change, not only seriously, but that it views it as a priority consideration while moving forward. The Paris conference was a landmark for the Kingdom. For the first time Saudi Arabia established its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) in a clear signal of its contributions and practical engagement with the issue of climate change. 
Just ahead of the Paris conference the Kingdom hosted the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum (CSLF) and earlier the Global Methane Initiative.
Co-chaired by then Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ali bin Ibrahim Al-Naimi and Ernest Moniz, secretary of energy for the United States, the sixth ministerial meeting of the CSLF in Riyadh sent out a clear message that collaboration and international unity would be critical in the meeting of present and future climate challenges. 
The level of Saudi Arabia’s engagement received international notice. Barry K. Worthington, executive director of the US Energy Association reflected the feedback of many.
Fast forward to 2016 and to COP 22, and Saudi Arabia takes its seat at the table, internationally recognized as meaningful contributor to the climate change challenge.
There is a new minister and a newly titled ministry. He is Khalid Al-Falih, minister of energy, industry and mineral resources.
In his forward to the Kingdom’s COP22 website, Al-Falih underscored Saudi Arabia’s contribution to engage in the search for solutions to a global problem. The COP 22 conference will focus on action items to achieve the balanced priorities of the Paris Agreement, especially in relation to adaptation, transparency, technology transfer, mitigation and capacity building, he added.
The recent King Abdullah Petroleum and Research Center’s Energy Dialogue 2016 saw Saudi Aramco President and CEO Amin Nasser put climate change front and center of his keynote address. Prince Turki bin Saud bin Mohammed Al-Saud, president of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) said: “For the Kingdom, KAPSARC is building its capabilities.”
Daniel Yergin, vice chairman of IHS Markit and Pulitzer Prize winning author and leading authority on energy, international politics and economics, took note that Saudi Arabia, with its energetic engagement with the climate challenge and its Vision 2030 roadmap for a more sustainable future, is now a major global contributor.

Source: Arab News