Duelling in the green desert

The long-standing rivalry between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates appears to be benefitting African climate goals.

The news: Saudis are this week hosting the UN-led Climate Week for the Middle East and North Africa, showcasing their latest green initiatives.

• Among the announcements is a new project for Saudi companies to buy carbon credits from 2024.

• While domestically focused for now, officials said the scheme "caters to the possibility or the potential for future international transfers."

• Saudi companies purchased African carbon credits at an auction in Nairobi in June.

The rival: Meanwhile, the Emiratis, who are hosting the COP 28 event in Dubai starting in late November, announced an expansion of their investment plans for Africa.

• Masdar, UAE's parastatal investment firm, committed $10 billion in African renewable energy by 2030.

• The target of the combined investments is to deliver 10 GW, or 7% of total current installed capacity.

• The UAE has declared an aim to provide 100 million Africans with clean electricity by 2035.

Competitive edge: Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the biggest populations and economies in the Gulf, are committed to net-zero by 2060 and 2050, respectively.

• At the Africa Climate Summit last month, Saudi Arabia was poised to announce substantial African investments.

• The announcement was pulled at the last minute but may be made at or after the Climate Week in Riyadh.

The context: The Saudi event is one of the last major international stepping stones to COP 28 in the climate calendar.

• Among the topics under discussion in the heavily cemented desert capital are the construction sector.

• Climate action focused on transportation and urbanisation are also on the agenda