Championing Youth Climate Engagement

KAUST senior leadership and students joined top policymakers at the inaugural Saudi Green Initiative Forum

In October 2021, KAUST participated in the inaugural Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) Forum and its adjoining Youth Green Summit. Participants included KAUST students Eman Alhajji, Natalia Odnoletkova and Taiba Alamoudi, along with KAUST President Tony Chan, KAUST’s Head of Sustainability Ana Margarida Costa, and CEO of McDonough Innovation and KAUST Distinguished Research Professor William McDonough. Described as a holistic government climate action initiative, the SGI is Saudi Arabia’s pioneering strategy for creating a greener future and becoming a leader of climate action. The initiative was introduced in March 2021, and October of that year marked its official launch at the SGI Forum – a threeday summit that brought together policymakers, the private sector, civil society, youth and global leaders. The launch of the SGI is illustrative of the Kingdom’s new, more engaged and proactive approach to climate action. It serves as an umbrella for the country’s recent climate pledges, including drastically reducing CO2 emissions, embracing renewable energy, increasing protected nature reserves and planting billions of trees. It also provides a platform for coordinating future projects and targets.

The Youth Green Summit was held on the second day of the SGI Forum. It was a gathering of young climate leaders and students from the Kingdom and beyond, with panel discussions and interactive workshops on the future of climate action. Over 75 speakers participated in the event, including high-level government officials, CEOs, investors, innovators, thought leaders and youth leadership role models. The summit sent a clear message that Saudi Arabia is committed to a green future, and its young people will help lead the way. KAUST students at the summit were both in the audience and on stage. KAUST PhD candidate and President of the KAUST Students for Sustainability group Eman Alhajji interviewed HRH the Saudi Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz Bin Salman Al Saud in an intergenerational discussion and question-and-answer session. The minister spoke of the capacity of Saudi youth to contribute to the transformation that the Kingdom is going through, and the importance of their role in shaping Saudi Arabia’s future.

President Chan joined HRH Princess Noura Bint Turki Al-Saud from Aeon Strategy to host the Climate Action Challenge, focused on simulating actions in line with the Paris Agreement. Costa and Odnoletkova led a workshop on reducing carbon emissions, while Alamoudi led a workshop on preserving marine life. McDonough discussed the role of eco-entrepreneurs in meeting the challenges posed by climate change. KAUST’s participation in events such as the SGI is representative of how the university’s talent can directly help policymakers shape national priorities, as well as deliver practical, real-world results.

EMAN ALHAJJI PhD Candidate and President of Students for Sustainability

AS A YOUTH DELEGATE, I WAS TRULY HONORED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF ENGAGING IN AN INTERGENERATIONAL DIALOGUE WITH HRH PRINCE ABDULAZIZ ON SAUDI ARABIA’S NEW GREEN PRIORITIES AND INITIATIVES.

McDONOUGH INNOVATION

“At the Saudi Green Initiative, the minister of energy announced the goal of net-zero emissions by 2060, echoing US President Kennedy’s ask to have a human on the moon in a decade. The NASA team succeeded in nine years. I have no doubt that the youth of Saudi Arabia will deliver this vision with similar speed, alacrity and success – ahead of schedule.”