Sultan Haitham bin Tariq
Oman has become the latest GCC country to commit to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The national plan was announced on Tuesday by Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, and forms part of Oman’s 2040 vision. The ruler has also approved the establishment of the Oman Sustainability Centre “to undertake the supervision and follow up of zero carbon emission plans and programmes.”
According to the UN, “net zero means cutting greenhouse gas emissions to as close to zero as possible, with any remaining emissions re-absorbed from the atmosphere, by oceans and forests for instance.” Scientists have proven that in order to keep global warming in check and avoid the worst impacts of climate change, carbon emissions need to be reduced by 45% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. As part of the Paris Agreement, the international treaty signed by 192 countries including Oman guides nations to “substantially reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to limit the global temperature increase in this century to 2 degrees Celsius while pursuing efforts to limit the increase even further to 1.5 degrees.”
Omani environmentalists took to social media to celebrate the announcement, with marine scientist Rumaitha Al Busaidi tweeting: “#Oman sets 2050 as its net-zero year target with plans to set out a national roadmap and establishing the #OmanSustainabilityCenter to oversee and implement plans and programs to achieve #NetZero Finally! Good news! It’s been a long time coming!”
Other GCC countries to make the pledge include the UAE, which was the first Gulf nation to announce its plan for net zero commission by 2050, while Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have pledged to be net zero by 2050.
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