The newly established Oman Sustainability Center, set up in accordance with the Royal directives of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, has been tasked with spearheading the delivery of the Sultanate’s Net Zero strategy. The centerpiece of that strategy is a solemn commitment by the Omani government to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 – a target that also aligns with that of the majority of advanced economies.

According to Eng. Faiza al Harthi, Head of Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Priority Support at Oman Vision 2040 Implementation Follow-up Unit, the new facility will serve as a hub of the following four centres: (1) Think-tank, Advisory and Follow-up Support Centre (2) Business Environment Centre (3) Centre for Technological Advancement, Innovation & Scientific Research, and (4) Net Zero Socioeconomic Centre. In delivering its mandate, the Center will be supported by the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, Oman Vision 2040 Implementation Follow-up Unit, Environment Authority and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). “Its primary task is to ensure the implementation of the Net Zero national plan in line with the follow-up methodology to achieve the objectives of Oman Vision 2040,” said Eng. Faiza. “I will also facilitate the obtainment of the necessary approvals from the relevant decision-makers to achieve the targeted goals in a timely manner,” she stated.

In its role as a Net Zero think-tank, the centre will formulate strategies, policies and regulations in support of Oman’s carbon emission reduction goals. Besides providing technical and advisory services, it will monitor progress in the reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions (GHG).

Further, in its role as a Business Environment Centre, the new entity will support the development of sustainable finance and circular economy programmes. Also as part of its remit, it will ensure infrastructure readiness for investment.

Importantly, innovation and scientific research will be a key objective of Oman Sustainability Centre. Towards this end, the centre will make recommendations on the financing of research and development activities, while also enhancing and accelerating scientific research and innovation. Additionally, it will support the initiation of demo projects for energy transition technologies. Finally, as a Net Zero Socioeconomic Centre, it will conduct awareness and educational programmes in support of rationalized energy consumption and sustainability. It will also support local content development and capacity building within this emerging sector, she added.

Carbon Management Lab

The idea behind a one-stop nodal agency to drive Oman’s carbon neutrality strategy has its origins in the Carbon Management Lab – a three-week-long brainstorming session attended by dozens of veterans from a cross-section of sectors with a stake in the decarbonization of the Omani economy. As with all such labs held in recent years, the Carbon Management Lab was organized by the influential Oman Vision 2040 Implementation Follow-up Unit in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy and Minerals.

The Lab identified the most important projects that will contribute in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promote renewable energy sources (solar, wind, green hydrogen). It also put the focus on tapping biofuels, recycling waste, and improving energy efficiency of the electricity supply chain from production to transmission to distribution and consumption. In the oil and gas sector, emphasis was on enhancing the efficiency of production and use of gas, reducing the routine combustion of natural gas, green testing of gas wells, reducing diesel use, sequestration of carbon and emissions control. As for the industrial sector projects, the aim is to optimally use energy consumption, electrification of processes, deployment of renewable energy and hydrogen, emission control, waste recycling and promoting circular economy.

A statement issued by the Lab upon its conclusion warned that inaction on global warming and climate change would exact a heavy toll on the Omani economy and society as a whole. It alluded to the disastrous extreme weather events that have occurred over the previous decade in Oman. Carbon neutrality and climate change are the most important components of Oman Vision 2040, it stressed. Industry, urban planning, energy, transportation, agriculture and health sectors have factored in these components in their strategies. It aims to achieve economic growth by sustainable use of natural resources and mitigate impact of climate change. Achieving carbon neutrality will contribute to diversifying sources of income, creating opportunities for sustainable economic and social growth, reducing the repercussions of climate change, building a knowledge economy, benefiting from clean technology and creating a diversified mix of energy sources.

Carbon neutrality pledge

At the 27th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) 2022, HE Eng Salem bin Nasser Al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals, affirmed the Sultanate’s commitment to the decarbonisation of the economy in line with the goals enshrined in the Paris Accords.

Oman’s participation in COP27, he said, stems from its conviction in the significance of endorsing coordinated measures in partnership with the world to reduce global warming to levels below 2 degrees Celsius, namely the endorsement of the Paris Agreement by 196 countries, which became effective 4 November 2016 at a time the world is set to reach the peak of global greenhouse gas emissions. He added that the pact also aims to achieve a climate-emission-neutral world by mid-century, as various countries have pledged to provide nationally-determined contributions in order to ensure energy transition and mitigated emissions.

HE Al Aufi outlined steps adopted by Oman towards cutting down carbon emissions, including its solemn declaration to achieve carbon neutrality in 2050. Overseeing this effort will be the Oman Sustainability Centre which is mandated to formulate a national strategy for an orderly transition to carbon neutrality. This strategy will complement the existing National Environmental Policy for Energy, he said. The Minster also shed light on the start of the pre-qualification phase for investors wishing to participate in the first round of green hydrogen projects via an online platform launched by Hydrogen Oman (Hydrom) – the new state-owned orchestrator of this future industry.

Alongside its pledge to transition away from fossil fuels, Oman is also working to promote local value-added policies, localise industries related to the renewable energy and hydrogen sector, enable strategic studies, research and development and to enhance community awareness of clean energy.

Captions:
HE Salim bin Nasser Al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals Eng. Faiza al Harthi, Head of Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Priority Support at Oman Vision 2040 Implementation Follow-up Unit