As the global community strives to address the pressing issue of climate change, it is essential for both the public and private sectors to align their efforts with the central aim of The Paris Agreement. This agreement aims to strengthen the global response to climate change by limiting the global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to keep the increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Recent warnings from the World Meteorological Organization indicate a 66% likelihood of surpassing the 1.5°C global warming threshold by 2027, emphasising the urgent need for progress towards sustainable practices and net zero emissions.
The unique environmental challenges of the Middle East
Here in the Middle East, the region faces unique environmental challenges, including water scarcity, land degradation, and the environmental impacts of population growth. Governments in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, are already prioritising a sustainable future. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 places sustainability at its core, aiming to diversify energy sources, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and achieve net zero emissions by 2060. The Saudi Green Initiative and the Green Middle East Initiative also both further promote renewable energy and tree planting in the country.
Like other countries in the region, Saudi Arabia is investing in renewable energy infrastructure, such as solar and wind power plants, and emphasising sustainable urban developments like NEOM, and its new sustainable tourism destination The Red Sea. Projects like these provide unique opportunities for the public and private sectors to collaborate and implement sustainable practices from the outset, leveraging the latest technologies for planning, implementation, measurement, and continuous improvement. Advisory services have witnessed increasing demand as organisations seek guidance in their sustainability endeavours.
Collaboration for Impact
A holistic and collaborative approach is needed from all public and private stakeholders if we are to achieve these ambitions. Embracing sustainability is not just a moral imperative but essential for protecting livelihoods, biodiversity and ensuring long-term regional growth and prosperity. Achieving our mutual environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals is an ambitious task. Whilst these goals are a key element of regional governments’ national visions, it is the private sector organisations, as key drivers of economic growth and innovation, that have a pivotal role to play in supporting governments in driving meaningful change and accelerating progress towards a more sustainable future for the region.
Governments might provide the necessary policy frameworks, regulatory incentives and investment support, but the private sector’s expertise, resources, innovation and international experience are crucial. Collaboration between the public and private sector offers the best possible chance of addressing our complex climate and environmental challenges and increasing the chances of achieving our ESG goals and indeed those of The Paris Agreement.
Partnerships with Purpose
Here at Serco, we are one of very few service providers internationally and regionally who offer a strategic advisory service and the technology, logistics and operations to fully deliver the end-to-end service that can enable our clients, including governments and large organisations, to meet their ESG commitments. As a government impact partner, we are committed throughout our business to building a better future for all, both through how we conduct our own business and how we advise and support our many clients across the region.
To achieve this, we established our Advisory with Purpose division earlier this year that covers the full breadth of our services – from customer experience, fire and rescue services, our space division and more, focusing on partnerships where we can make a long lasting and meaningful impact to citizens and their surrounding communities.
In taking an Advisory with Purpose position in all we do, we ensure that sustainable practises, net zero targets and wider social and governance goals (to complement the full ESG ambitions and requirements of many organisations) are the north star in our recommendations. Our overall aim is always to deliver solutions that are not only responsible and sustainable but meet the needs and values of the end users and ultimately making a positive and sustainable impact.
Empowering the Workforce
To achieve net zero goals, we also need a skilled workforce equipped with the knowledge and expertise to implement and maintain sustainable practices. Nationalisation efforts therefore also have a role to play in ensuring ESG goals are met. Through investing in relevant training programmes and initiatives the private sector plays a pivotal role in fostering a culture of sustainability among employees and stakeholders. Empowering the workforce with the skills needed for best practices allows for the creation of a resilient ecosystem capable of driving change from within. Whilst establishing knowledge sharing platforms allows for the exchange of ideas and best practices, facilitating the spread of sustainability expertise across various industries. This strategic approach, that requires both short-term actions and longer-term visions, ensures that nationals are at the forefront of sustainability efforts, leading the way towards a greener future for the country.
Technological innovation
Another way that the private sector can contribute to sustainability is through technological innovation. Clean energy technologies are one obvious example but others, especially those relevant to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and their giga city projects, include innovations in waste management, managing light pollution to preserve and enhance natural light visibility,providing high speed internet access, water conservation and building sustainable infrastructures that conserve and maintain natural habitats through regeneration activities, while also sustainably growing for expanding populations.
One example of this is The Red Sea development in Saudi Arabia, which aims to achieve the highest levels of sustainability. Another is Al-Ula where there have been great efforts to ensure the area’s natural beauty is not compromised by local developments. This means we are confident it will only be a few short years until we are taking the practices of the GCC and using them to help other countries achieve their own net zero goals.
Whilst today the region stands at a crucial juncture when it comes to its journey towards net zero; it has the opportunity to pioneer innovative practices and set an inspiring example for the world. Governments and the private sector must work hand in hand to forge a sustainable path forward that makes the most efficient use of resources and works towards environmental harmony for future generations to enjoy. In doing so, we can leverage differences in perspectives and expertise to develop innovative solutions via a collaborative approach that provides a best-practice example from the Middle East for the world to see.