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Power players: the role of future energy leaders in the GCC region
10/4/2024
8 min read
Feature
Few regions worldwide can match the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), consisting of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in terms of its vast reserves of economically-competitive hydrocarbons. Furthermore, the region boasts significant natural resources, like solar power, which are poised to facilitate transition to a net zero economy, reports Energy Institute Senior Analyst Kinga Niemczyk.
Thanks to revenue from oil and gas exports, these nations are also capable of making substantial investments in costly low-carbon energy technologies such as nuclear power or carbon capture and storage (CCS).
The GCC region stands at the forefront of the changing global energy system. But its capacity in the energy sector extends beyond its abundant resources and capital. It’s essential to recognise the role of its energy workforce and leaders in facilitating the transition to a net zero future.
This aspect was discussed during a session of the Energy Institute’s International Energy Week conference in February, titled ‘EI Middle East Energy Barometer: Transitioning GCC Economies – Threats and Opportunities’. The discussion was moderated by Dr Waddah S Ghanem Al Hashmi, Chair of Energy Institute Middle East.