The Gulf's Climate Reckoning

This book examines how three Gulf countries can achieve economic growth and the decarbonization goals of their Paris Agreement pledges.

This book analyses the Gulf's decarbonization and economic development strategies following their Paris Agreement pledges. It explores urgent climate action amidst geopolitical shifts, energy transitions, and economic diversification. It is essential reading for researchers and policymakers in energy policy, climate change, and the Middle East.In a world demanding climate action, the oil-rich Gulf states face a defining crossroads: can they transform economies built on fossil fuels into resilient, climate-aligned powerhouses? This timely and original study offers a rigorous, multidimensional analysis of how Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar are navigating the high-stakes transition to decarbonization. Weaving together historical political economy, postcolonial state formation, economic pressures, geopolitical realignments, and environmental imperatives, it explores the difficult trade-offs and strategic decisions forging the region's trajectory. Through incisive analysis, it reveals emerging policy innovations, evolving social contracts, and institutional strategies that are redefining the Gulf's energy future—while critically evaluating the macroeconomic consequences of climate-driven transformation. Essential reading for policymakers, financiers, energy professionals, multilateral institutions, and scholars, The Gulf's Climate Reckoning offers an intellectual and strategic framework for understanding the Gulf's climate-industrial transformation and its far-reaching implications for the emerging global energy and governance landscape.