Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
Empowering talent, accelerating green digital transformation, and expanding partnerships to finance a sustainable future emerged as key priorities for collective action in the latest report on the "State of Arab Governments: Government Policies and Sustainability-Based Technologies".
Based on insights from more than 1,600 leaders and officials across Arab governments, the third edition of the report was unveiled at the 2025 Sustainability and Government Action Forum, in collaboration with the Arab Organisation for Administrative Development (ARADO).
The report highlights the critical role of technology and innovation in advancing sustainability efforts amid escalating global climate risks. In this context, the UAE's investments in irrigation, precision farming, and digital harvesting are emerging as exemplary models for the region.
Sixty-nine percent of officials in the region indicate that their governments have established and publicly shared a clear climate action plan, according to the report.
Nearly 8 in 10 individuals agree that climate action should be a top government priority, and 42% believe that their current approaches align well with global best practices.
However, many respondents acknowledged the need for progress in key areas: 22% highlighted water management and conservation as a critical next focus, while 17% identified both urban planning and sustainable infrastructure as top priorities for improvement.
Although 59% say their governments have laid out net-zero emissions goals, only 39% think their governments are adequately prepared to achieve sustainability, and 34% are moderately prepared with respect to key technologies.
In terms of infrastructure, 38% of the respondents strongly agree that their governments are working towards a shift to e-vehicles and sustainable transport, while 69% indicate that steps have been taken to make buildings more sustainable.
More than half of those polled (53%) recognise that climate change affects citizens' daily lives - and 44% strongly agree that climate action is a priority for their governments.
The officials also highlighted the importance of informed policymaking, with 45% agreeing that specific climate and environment data must be collected as part of regulatory practices.
Some 38% strongly believe that their governments are working with the private sector to build a green economy, the report added.
Resource conservation has emerged as an area of concern. Forty-two percent of officials identified renewable energy as a top priority, while 39% stressed the importance of water management solutions.
For the private sector, 50% of officials stated that they have developed policies encouraging the use of sustainable tech, and 43% confirmed that their governments support green-tech startups.
Primary Recommendations
The report outlined some recommendations to speed up the green transition in Arab governments.
It called for government budgets to be classified according to their environmental impact, highlighting the importance of aligning the use of funds with sustainability targets.
The officials also recommend nurturing green skills through regional training programmes and creating public-private climate innovation labs that develop actionable solutions.
Other key measures include implementing full sustainability standards for government buildings, along with promoting performance-based financing models.
Additionally, the report highlighted the need to develop unified climate data platforms, standardise green procurement policies, as well as actively engage citizens; especially the youth - in sustainability initiatives.
It further calls on developing digital infrastructure and a regional academy to upskill government officials on climate policy and green finance.
