RIYADH: Immediate collective action is required to combat climate change and achieve net-zero emissions, according to Bandar Alkhorayef, the Saudi minister of industry and mineral resources, and Grant Shapps, the UK secretary of state for business, energy and industrial strategy.
They appeared together during a panel discussion titled “Lands of Opportunity: Enabling Mineral Development in Africa, Western and Central Asia,” on Tuesday, the opening day of the three-day Future Minerals Conference in Riyadh, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Alkhorayef said the emerging mining industry in those regions must move quickly to keep up with global demand for minerals. He highlighted the role the Kingdom has played in developing reliable mining chains in Africa and Asia, and added that global goals relating to the transition to clean energy can only be met through collective international efforts.
The minister reiterated the importance of developing the mining of minerals and metals in these regions by focusing on creative solutions, making data and technology more accessible, and attracting investment.
Saudi Arabia continues to develop its value chains for gold, phosphates and aluminum, and has taken significant steps to develop a regulatory environment for electric cars, Alkhorayef added.
He predicted a promising future for the mining industry in Saudi Arabia, citing a geological survey that reported mineral reserves worth about $1.3 trillion.
Shapps said that there is significant scope for cooperation between the UK and Saudi Arabia in the clean-energy sector, and emphasized the importance of international collective action to achieve global goals related to the transition.
