Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia ranks 67th and last overall in the CCPI – the lowest of the very low climate performers. The country receives very low ratings across the board, in GHG Emissions, Energy Use, Renewable Energy, and Climate Policy.

Saudi Arabia has a 2060 net-zero pledge, and its submitted long-term strategy does, at least, provide a formal reference for decarbonisation. The CCPI country experts point out that this framework is built to preserve oil and gas expansion and not to reduce emissions, making it fundamentally incompatible with a 1.5°C Paris pathway. It does not include binding emissions caps or carbon pricing and there is no fossil fuel phase-out plan. There is heavy reliance on carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS), and offsets, and afforestation rhetoric serves as a distraction from the absence of structural decarbonisation. The experts criticise the 2060 net-zero pledge as being too late, reflecting a deliberate choice to delay action despite vast financial and technological capacity. The country is among the 10 countries with the largest developed oil and gas reserves, and it currently plans to increase its production.

Evidence of technical and financial capacity for energy diversification, but energy efficiency remains at a rhetorical stage

The experts point out quicker renewable energy tenders under the National Renewable Energy Program. These projects show technical and financial capacity to diversify the energy mix. The Saudi Energy Efficiency Program (SEEP) and Saudi Building Code (SBC) provide a basic regulatory foundation for appliance and energy conservation standards for new buildings. Appliance labelling and fuel economy standards for light-duty vehicles mark initial steps toward mainstreaming efficiency awareness.

The experts are critical of the country’s weak policies regarding the energy sector, as they are fragmented and unenforced. Efficiency remains as rhetoric while per-capita consumption is among the world’s highest. There is no binding retrofit programme.

Automobile-centric planning and oversized housing systematically undermine efficiency gains and urban design fuels consumption. In Saudi Arabia’s emissions profile, the standards are below international benchmarks, and the experts note that they fail to reflect climate action’s urgency. Energy use continues to climb despite the agreed upon policies because demand growth is so large.

Needs include a legally binding fossil fuel phase-out roadmap, retrofit programme, and carbon pricing mechanism

The experts note there are recorded human rights violations tied to large renewable energy infrastructure projects, which have caused forced displacement of local tribes. The main risk they see is the potential expansion of biofuels, which could compete with scarce arable land and water resources in an already water-stressed country. Current renewables projects pose no immediate threat to food security, but large-scale biomass and afforestation schemes could do so if pursued without safeguards.

The experts recommend adopting a legally binding, Paris-aligned fossil fuel phase-out roadmap, with emissions peaking well before 2040, ending oil and gas expansion, and replacing the carbon economy rhetoric with structural decarbonisation backed by enforceable interim targets. They also recommend introducing a national carbon pricing mechanism (ETS or carbon tax) covering all major emitters, with rising price trajectories and strict enforcement.

Additionally, the experts call for a nationwide retrofit programme for existing buildings and appliances, with strict timelines and financial penalties for non-compliance. They also advise adopting efficiency standards for air conditioning, vehicles, and building insulation. Another recommendation is restructuring urban planning to reduce energy demand by incentivising compact housing.

Key Outcomes

CCPI Experts

National experts that contributed to the policy evaluation of this year’s CCPI chose to remain anonymous.