Middle East at forefront in helping find innovative solutions to industry decarbonization

Middle East at forefront in helping find innovative solutions to industry decarbonization
1 / 4
Global consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers has been pushing innovative approaches and solutions to decarbonize sectors across the global economy. (AN Photo/Huda Bashatah)
Middle East at forefront in helping find innovative solutions to industry decarbonization
2 / 4
Stephen Anderson, PwC’s Middle East strategy and markets leader. (Supplied)
Middle East at forefront in helping find innovative solutions to industry decarbonization
3 / 4
Yahya Anouti is an environmental, social, and corporate governance lead partner for strategy and energy at PwC. (Supplied)
Middle East at forefront in helping find innovative solutions to industry decarbonization
4 / 4
Rajat Chowdhary, PwC’s Middle East partner in technology consulting. (Supplied)
Short Url
Updated 09 February 2023

Middle East at forefront in helping find innovative solutions to industry decarbonization

Middle East at forefront in helping find innovative solutions to industry decarbonization
  • Region shining beacon for technology change, economic growth: Strategy chief
  • Future planning through smart cities, technologically modern urban areas

RIYADH: One of the topics high on this year’s LEAP agenda was how technological enterprise could combat climate change.

And global consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers is one company that has been pushing innovative approaches and solutions to decarbonize sectors across the global economy.

Its role as LEAP’s digital consulting partner for the second year running also reflects Saudi Arabia’s expanding role and hub for tech.

Stephen Anderson, PwC’s Middle East strategy and markets leader, told Arab News: “I think LEAP itself is quite a good sort of microcosm of everything that’s happening here in Saudi Arabia.

“Due to Vision 2030, everything in Saudi Arabia appears to be ramping up to the next level. I think we’ve gone beyond transformation now. We’re now talking about reimagination.

“We’re seeing a real leap in terms of our moves into artificial intelligence, the metaverse, and cloud,” he said.

PwC’s presence at LEAP has highlighted its technological areas of smart cities, the metaverse, and AI and the role that all can play in combatting climate change.

Yahya Anouti, environmental, social, and corporate governance lead partner for strategy and energy at PwC, told Arab News: “From a broader perspective, we have a big climate change challenge, and this has two things we need to think of.

“First at the global level, the 1.5 degrees scenario is at risk, and we have to mobilize again our efforts and show the world that we can come and stay the course on the 1.5-degree scenario.”

The challenge involves holding warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels to limit the most dangerous and irreversible effects of climate change.

He said: “Secondly, the Middle East as a region is known to be water scarce, with the impact of climate change being felt more here than the rest of the world. We have to innovate solutions for the region.” Anouti pointed out that the region was uniquely endowed to lead the world on multiple technologies.

“The hydrogen economy producing hydrogen molecules, ammonia, synthetic fuels, et cetera, is becoming the hub for green industries like green steel and green titanium. We need to see how we can use green energy to produce alternative protein for precision fermentation and so on,” he added.

PwC is also working with clients to help foster smart cities or technologically modern urban areas that use various types of electronic means and sensors to gather data.

The firm is extensively working toward implementing cutting-edge technology through a network of devices, sensors, systems, and apps, which aim to achieve a city’s goals related to economy, infrastructure, efficient operations, and ensuring quality life to its citizens and residents.

On cognitive buildings, Rajat Chowdhary, PwC’s Middle East partner in technology consulting, said: “They are essentially conscious buildings. These buildings are like a living lab and understand the way occupants interact with them to learn from them how to behave to enable a personalized experience in the future.

“These buildings have data coming in from many AI-enabled devices which are installed in the buildings. They could be your sensors, your lighting, your heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems.

“This data is then correlated to give you a customized, personalized experience, not just for the occupant, but for the environment as well. This is why we love calling them conscious buildings.”

Chowdhary noted that this could, “immensely contribute toward the cause of combatting climate change.”

As an example, he pointed out how cognitive buildings could use elements related to energy efficiency to bring about a direct cut in an occupant’s electricity bill as well as the building’s total energy consumption.

“Such energy efficiency then has a dominant effect on how the occupant is consuming other things,” he added.

Climate change through advanced technology could have a domino effect with its use in one area spurring that in another.

“Cognitive buildings play a very crucial role in the whole smart city concept,” Chowdhary said, describing them using the acronym SET or sustainability, efficiency, and technologically advanced.

“These smart cities would have different goals for themselves, which is what makes them smart. They would focus on sustainability, liveability — around making sure you have better energy and waste management,” he added. 

Anderson said the Middle East was shining a beacon for technology change and economic growth. PwC’s 26th chief executive officers survey involved interviews with 4,000 CEO’s from around the world to compile the finding for its 2023 report.

“Our CEOs were by far the most confident in their own market. Over two-thirds were very confident in the growth of the region compared to in North America and in Europe, where only 20 percent of CEOs saw growth.

“Our CEOs in the Middle East are realistic, though. They recognize there are challenges in the rest of the world and that they need to change. They recognize the need to change but are not slowing down on investments, they see the need to diversify and to drive more efficient products,” Anderson added.

According to the PwC survey, 85 percent of CEOs in the Middle East said they would be investing more into technology.

Anderson said: “About two-thirds said they were going to go to the cloud, they’re going to do AI, they were going to work on metaverse. About 75 percent said they were going to invest specifically in upskilling their workforce from a technology perspective.”

But, he added, the big and impressive finding was the importance of climate change and ESG.

“Last year, only 10 percent of CEOs said it was on their agenda and this year, perhaps as a result of COP27 and COP28 (climate change conferences), over half said they were thinking of adjusting their products to think about their impact on climate.”


Saudi FM and Blinken discuss strategic bilateral partnership during Riyadh visit

Saudi FM and Blinken discuss strategic bilateral partnership during Riyadh visit
Updated 16 sec ago

Saudi FM and Blinken discuss strategic bilateral partnership during Riyadh visit

Saudi FM and Blinken discuss strategic bilateral partnership during Riyadh visit

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on the sidelines of the Gulf Cooperation Council states’ ministerial meeting in Riyadh, the Kingdom’s foreign ministry announced on Wednesday.
During the meeting, they reviewed aspects of the strategic Saudi-US partnership, and ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in various fields, in addition to discussing regional and international developments.
The two sides also discussed the most prominent issues raised in the US-Gulf meeting, and ways to strengthen US-Gulf relations in various fields.
The meeting was attended by Her Royal Highness Princess Rima bint Bandar, Saudi ambassador to the US.


13th Saudi relief plane lands in Sudan

13th Saudi relief plane lands in Sudan
Updated 28 min 20 sec ago

13th Saudi relief plane lands in Sudan

13th Saudi relief plane lands in Sudan
  • Plane was carrying 30 tons of food baskets and medical supplies

RIYADH: A 13th Saudi relief plane on Wednesday landed at Port Sudan New International Airport carrying 30 tons of food baskets and medical supplies, Saudi Press Agency reported. 

The latest aid flight is part of the Kingdom’s air bridge initiative, operated by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, to help the people of Sudan.
 


Saudi authorities foil drug-smuggling attempts

Saudi authorities foil drug-smuggling attempts
Updated 28 min 34 sec ago

Saudi authorities foil drug-smuggling attempts

Saudi authorities foil drug-smuggling attempts
  • A number of people were arrested in connection with the smuggling bids

RIYADH: Saudi border patrols in the Najran, Jazan, and Asir regions have thwarted attempts to smuggle 62.5 tons of qat, 1.842 tons of hashish, and 692,106 tablets of a controlled drug into the Kingdom.

Col. Misfer Al-Quraini, spokesperson for the General Directorate of Border Guard, said a number of people had been arrested in connection with the smuggling bids and their cases referred to the Public Prosecution, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
Earlier on Wednesday, authorities arrested three nationals in two separate attempts to smuggle and sell illegal drugs in the Kingdom.


Saudi envoy to Bangladesh visits Makkah Route airport hall in Dhaka

Saudi envoy to Bangladesh visits Makkah Route airport hall in Dhaka
Updated 07 June 2023

Saudi envoy to Bangladesh visits Makkah Route airport hall in Dhaka

Saudi envoy to Bangladesh visits Makkah Route airport hall in Dhaka
  • Al-Dahilan was briefed on the airport hall, procedures in Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia to facilitate the pilgrimage

RIYADH: Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Issa bin Youssef Al-Dahilan recently visited a hall dedicated to the Kingdom’s Makkah Route initiative at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

The scheme allows pilgrims to pass seamlessly through immigration facilities at airports in their respective countries.

Al-Dahilan was briefed on the progress of work at the airport hall as well procedures implemented in Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia to facilitate the pilgrimage.

The envoy said the initiative, launched by the Interior Ministry, was aimed at streamlining the whole pilgrim travel experience, enabling Hajj visitors from seven countries to complete immigration, cargo, and travel procedures prior to departing for the Kingdom.

Al-Dahilan lauded Bangladesh, Morocco, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Turkiye, and the Ivory Coast for their participation in the initiative.


UK announces new £10 visa for GCC and Jordanian nationals

UK announces new £10 visa for GCC and Jordanian nationals
Updated 07 June 2023

UK announces new £10 visa for GCC and Jordanian nationals

UK announces new £10 visa for GCC and Jordanian nationals
  • “In February 2024, we will go one step further and introduce a new ETA scheme,” the ambassador said
  • This ETA will allow visa holders to enter the UK multiple times over a two-year period and aims to make “travel to Britain cheaper and easier for visitors from the Gulf and Jordan,”

RIYADH: The UK has announced a new Electronic Travel Authorization scheme that will cost £10 ($12.44) for nationals of Jordan and Gulf Cooperation Council states.
“In June 2022, the UK introduced an Electronic Visa Waiver scheme, which allowed any Saudi citizen to apply for authorization to travel to Britain online,” British Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Neil Crompton told Arab News.
“This reflected the desire of both governments to strengthen people-to-people links between the two countries,” he added.
Also in June of 2022, the UK announced that under its new ETA scheme, rolling out in 2023, nationals from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE will join Americans and Canadians in benefiting from visa-free travel through an electronic visa waiver.
“In February 2024, we will go one step further and introduce a new ETA scheme,” the ambassador said.
“Under this, applicants will be able to apply for a visa online that covers multiple visits over a two-year period. The cost will be just £10 per applicant. This will make it much easier and cheaper to travel.”
This ETA will allow visa holders to enter the UK multiple times over a two-year period and aims to make “travel to Britain cheaper and easier for visitors from the Gulf and Jordan,” as stated on gov.uk.
Previously under the EVW scheme, Gulf nationals had to pay £30 per visit to the UK and Jordanian nationals £100 for a visit visa.
The newly announced ETA aims to strengthen relations between the countries and contribute to Britain’s economy.
The scheme will be implemented for Qatari nationals later this year in October 2023 and for the rest of the GCC and Jordan in February 2024.
According to gov.uk, Gulf visitors are highly valuable to the UK economy, with over 790,000 of them spending £2 billion during their stays in the UK last year.
The process to apply is all-digital and requires applicants to upload a photograph of themselves and answer a set of suitability questions.
Earlier in 2023, the UK government announced plans to introduce a new ETA scheme as part of a digitization initiative for the UK border to further enhance security and customer experience.
In a statement, the UK Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia Lord Tariq Ahmad said: “I’m delighted that our partners across the Gulf and Jordan will be the first to benefit from the UK’s new Electronic Travel Authorization scheme. This scheme is further proof of the strong partnership between the UK and countries across the region.
“By cutting costs and visa requirements, the ETA scheme will ensure visitors from the Gulf states and Jordan can enjoy traveling with ease to the UK, boosting business and tourism links between our countries,” he added.