The Carboun Institute

The MENA region is warming at twice the global average rate — and the drought, heat extremes, and flooding this is producing are converging into compounding pressures that existing institutions were never designed to absorb. Read the full analysis on our new systems-level assessment: carboun.com/climate-risks-…

The MENA region holds an estimated USD 2.5 trillion in critical mineral reserves and over USD 100 billion in announced mining investments, yet lacks the refining capacity to capture full value from its resources. Our new policy brief examines what it would take for MENA to move up the critical minerals value chain and secure its role in the global energy transition.

Morocco is positioning itself as a major green hydrogen exporter — but without stronger industrial policy frameworks, the program risks becoming an export pipeline that misses a once-in-a-generation opportunity for domestic industrial transformation. Read our latest commentary: carboun.com/morocco-green-…

Steel is one of the world's most carbon-intensive industries. It's also one of the most strategically positioned for transformation, and the answer has less to do with technology than with bankability. Our new policy brief, The Price of Going Green, breaks down the cost of hydrogen-based steelmaking in MENA, where the green premium comes from, and which policy levers can realistically close it. This is a practical roadmap for governments, investors, and industry, ready to move from momentum to market. 👉 carboun.com/going-green

What happens to climate action when governments can't afford it? Across MENA, debt servicing is consuming fiscal space faster than climate finance can fill it. Associate Fellow Dr. Dina Zayed speaks with IMF Executive Director Mohamed Maait on sovereign debt, climate vulnerability, and what pragmatic solutions could look like. 🔗 carboun.com/debt-and-clima…

We're pleased to welcome @RoulaMajdalani as a Distinguished Associate Fellow at the Carboun Institute. A senior climate and natural resources expert, she brings deep experience in water-energy-food security and sustainable development across MENA, currently serving as Senior Climate Advisor at ICARDA. We look forward to drawing on her expertise as the region navigates the growing intersections between climate adaptation, resource security, and sustainable development.🌱

We’re pleased to welcome Faisal Ali Rashid as a Distinguished Associate Fellow at the Carboun Institute ⚡️ A senior energy executive and engineer, he leads demand-side management at the @DubaiSCE and serves as Vice Chairman of its DSM Executive Committee, while also chairing the Advancing Net Zero Volunteering Team. We look forward to benefiting from Mr. Al Rashid’s expertise in bridging energy policy and implementation as the MENA region scales demand-side solutions for decarbonization. ⚡️

🔴 The Gulf’s renewable energy boom is accelerating, but who controls the technology behind it? As the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia rapidly expand solar, China now dominates the supply chain, providing 98% of UAE solar module imports. In a new analysis, Yunis Sharifli explores the tensions emerging at the heart of this partnership. 📌 carboun.com/gulf-china-coo…

We are honoured to welcome Iyad Abumoghli as a Distinguished Associate Fellow at the Carboun Institute. A diplomat and engineer with over four decades of experience, including 30+ years in senior leadership within the United Nations system, Dr. Abumoghli has helped shape global environmental policy and cross-sector climate action. We look forward to his insight and leadership in advancing climate and energy transition dialogue across the MENA region.

In 2025, the MENA region shifted gears to increase its renewable capacity at an unprecedented rate. The region added 13.4 GW of solar and wind capacity in a single year—equal to the combined additions of the previous three years—resulting in a 44% year-on-year increase in total installed capacity. This acceleration reflects a structural shift in the pace of deployment, with solar and wind now among the fastest-deploying and lowest-cost sources of new generation capacity in the region.

How is the energy transition reshaping MENA’s engagement with China, and what does this mean for the region’s future energy systems? 💡 These questions were explored in a #BRIDialogues conversation hosted by Ali Borhani and Anoush Ehteshami, featuring Research Fellow and Head of the China–MENA Programme, Jemima Oakey. 🎧 Listen to the full episode 👉 youtube.com/watch?v=qQY5Cn…

Energy chokepoints shape global politics long before crises become visible. In @LANACION , Carboun Institute Director Karim Elgendy examines how geography, risk, and alliances give Iran influence far beyond its economic weight, with the Strait of Hormuz at the center of global energy and security dynamics. Full article available in Spanish: lanacion.com.ar/el-mundo/por-q…

The U.S. exit from climate institutions is accelerating a shift in global climate leadership. As governance fragments, influence will accrue to those willing to fund, host, and steer institutions, with China’s clean energy industrial base and the Middle East’s deployable capital increasingly central. Read our latest commentary 👇

Last week, the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) entered its definitive phase, marking a concrete shift for the MENA region. Iron and steel exports to Europe are now directly exposed to carbon pricing at the border. Our new policy brief explores what this means in practice—and why CBAM doesn’t have to be a binary threat. 🔍 Read the brief → carboun.com/navigating-cbam

We’re pleased to welcome @pSchulkes as an Associate Fellow ⚡️ A Middle East consultant specialising in political risk, market entry, and due diligence, Piotr’s research focuses on Gulf economic transformation, energy transition, & low-carbon investment frameworks. 📌 Read more about his profile 👉 lnkd.in/g6j7_FXy

📣 We’re #hiring a Research Associate! Do you enjoy working with data, policy, and storytelling — and know how to turn research and numbers into clear insights that support better decision-making? We would love to hear from you. 📌 Apply today: carboun.com/careers

A new era of cooperation is emerging between China and the Gulf on renewable energy. ⚡️ Our new policy brief shows how deepening strategic & political ties, investment in, & joint ventures for renewable energy projects will shape the next decade of China–Gulf collaboration. carboun.com/ghost-waters ↗

Desalination has bought the Middle East precious time. ⏰ It has also created a critical dependence: a region’s water tied to a few coastal megaprojects, vulnerable grids, and rapidly salinizing seas. Our latest commentary examines the risks behind “ghost water”: carboun.com/ghost-waters

Our policy brief traces this shift, from China’s renewable manufacturing power to co-production in solar/batteries, the impact of CBAM on Gulf exports, and the emergence of new partnership models that formalise long-term cooperation amid US–China rivalry. 🔀 Read the full analysis: carboun.com/transactions-t… ↗

🔴 New Policy Brief: China’s Expanding Green Engagements in the Gulf China–Gulf ties are entering a new phase. Beyond hydrocarbons, the partnership is now driven by renewables, industrial development, and a fast-changing geopolitical landscape. 🌏