From Barrels To Molecules: Gulf’s Emerging Multi-Energy Export Model – Analysis

March 9, 2026 
Observer Research Foundation
By Parul Bakshi

For half a century, the Gulf’s geopolitical influence travelled in tankers of crude oil; today, it is beginning to move in cargoes of liquefied gas, molecules of hydrogen, clean-energy carriers, carbon management solutions, and electrons transmitted across borders. Rather than abandoning hydrocarbons, Gulf states are repositioning themselves as multi-energy exporters, seeking to convert resource endowments, sovereign capital, and strategic geography into long-term influence across the next generation of global energy trade.

This emerging export model rests on three enduring advantages. First, the Gulf combines vast hydrocarbon reserves with some of the world’s most competitive solar and wind resources, enabling parallel investment in both legacy and low-carbon energy systems. Second, sovereign wealth funds and state-owned energy companies provide patient capital capable of financing large-scale infrastructure, from LNG trains and nuclear plants to hydrogen hubs and carbon-capture networks. Third, the region’s geography, situated between Europe, Asia, and Africa, positions it as a natural corridor for energy trade. Together, these allow the Gulf not merely to adapt to the energy transition but to shape its emerging commercial architecture.

LNG: Enduring Baseline of Gulf Energy Exports

LNG remains the most mature and commercially secure pillar of the Gulf’s evolving export model, providing both continuity with the hydrocarbon era and the financial foundation for diversification into lower-carbon energy systems.

Qatar’s North Field expansion is expected to nearly double LNG production capacity from 77 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) to about 142 mtpa by 2030, reinforcing its position among the world’s dominant gas exporters. In parallel, ADNOC’s Ruwais LNG project in the UAE will add about 9.6mtpa, with more than 80 percent of capacity already secured through long-term agreements ahead of its planned 2028 start-up. Designed as one of the region’s lowest-carbon LNG facilities, Ruwais will be powered by clean electricity and advanced digital optimisation.

Together with enduring long-term contracts with major Asian buyers, these developments underscore LNG’s continued role as the Gulf’s most bankable export channel even amid global decarbonisation pressures.

From a feasibility perspective, LNG differs from emerging clean-energy exports in one crucial respect: the infrastructure, shipping networks, and contractual frameworks are already established. This maturity allows Gulf producers to monetise existing gas reserves while financing investments in hydrogen, ammonia, and carbon management. Yet it also exposes LNG to long-term uncertainty. Competition from the United States and Australia, evolving climate policy, and the risk of demand plateauing beyond the 2030s mean that LNG is best understood not as the endpoint of Gulf export strategy, but as the stabilising bridge enabling the transition toward a broader multi-energy portfolio.

Hydrogen: Next Strategic Export Frontier

Hydrogen is being positioned to extend the Gulf’s energy influence into a decarbonising global system. Across the region, governments and state-backed developers are advancing large-scale projects that link abundant renewable resources, existing industrial infrastructure, and export-oriented energy strategy.

Saudi Arabia’s NEOM green hydrogen project is expected to produce around 600 tonnes per day of green hydrogen once operational, supported by more than 4 GW of dedicated solar and wind capacity. In the UAE, Masdar and ADNOC are advancing green and blue hydrogen initiatives tied to domestic industry and future export corridors, while Oman’s Hydrom framework and the Sur hydrogen cluster aim to position the country as a major

 exporter of green fuels to Europe and Asia.

Despite this momentum, hydrogen exports remain structurally more uncertain than LNG. Large-scale deployment depends on falling electrolyser costs, reliable water supply through desalination, and bankable long-term offtake agreements in importing regions. Transport logistics, certification standards, and price competitiveness against alternative decarbonisation pathways will ultimately determine commercial viability. As a result, hydrogen is viewed as a long-term strategic extension of Gulf export capability, one that could reshape global energy trade if technological, financial, and geopolitical conditions align.

Ammonia: First Scalable Hydrogen Export

Ammonia is emerging as the most commercially viable pathway for exporting low-carbon hydrogen from the Gulf, enabling producers to utilise existing global shipping, storage, and industrial-use infrastructure while hydrogen markets mature. Several flagship Gulf projects are therefore structured around ammonia rather than direct hydrogen trade.

Saudi Arabia’s NEOM project is designed to produce roughly 1.2 mtpa of green ammonia, positioning the Kingdom among the earliest large-scale suppliers of hydrogen-derived fuels. It also successfully shipped 40 tonnes of blue ammonia to Japan, marking one of the world’s first cross-border trades in low-carbon ammonia and signalling early demand from Asian importers. In parallel, UAE-linked producer Fertiglobe has secured European offtake through Germany’s hydrogen-import tenders, while Oman is advancing integrated hydrogen-to-ammonia zones such as Hyport Duqm to anchor future clean-fuel exports.

Ammonia, unlike pure hydrogen, has existing transport logistics and end-use markets. Yet long-term competitiveness will depend on falling hydrogen production costs, large-scale renewable deployment, credible certification systems, and sustained import demand. Ammonia could represent a bridge between Gulf hydrocarbons and a future clean-molecule export economy, shaped by global policy and market environment.
Regional Grid: Transmitting Clean Electrons

While still at a nascent stage, clean-power trade represents a potential long-term extension of the region’s energy-export model. The GCC Interconnection Grid already links national power systems, providing resilience, reserve sharing, and a foundation for future electricity trade. Historically used primarily for emergency balancing rather than commercial exchange, the same infrastructure could enable higher penetration of renewables and eventual cross-border clean-power flows as solar and wind capacity expands across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Oman.

Looking outward, several concepts under discussion envision high-voltage direct current (HVDC) connections transmitting renewable electricity from the Gulf toward neighbouring regions, including South Asia, North Africa, and potentially Europe. These proposals remain technically feasible but commercially complex, requiring multilateral coordination, long-distance subsea transmission, stable regulatory frameworks, and bankable long-term power-purchase agreements.

Compared with LNG or ammonia, direct electricity export faces higher geopolitical and infrastructure barriers, yet it also offers a compelling strategic logic. Where renewable generation costs are low, exporting electrons rather than fuels could ultimately provide a more efficient decarbonisation pathway for importing regions.

Carbon Management: A Low-Carbon Hedge

Carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) is emerging as a parallel export logic for the Gulf, sustaining the competitiveness of hydrocarbon value chains in a carbon-constrained world. Qatar’s large-scale capture facilities at Ras Laffan, the UAE’s operational Al Reyadah and upcoming Habshan project, and Saudi Arabia’s Jubail CCS Hub collectively signal a shift toward embedding carbon management within core export infrastructure.

CCUS builds directly on existing industrial systems, allowing Gulf producers to preserve hydrocarbon revenues while lowering lifecycle emissions. Yet its long-term viability depends on policy credibility beyond the region, robust carbon-pricing mechanisms, trusted monitoring and verification frameworks, and sustained demand for low-carbon fuels in Europe and Asia. If these conditions materialise, carbon management could evolve into a distinct export service, anchoring hydrogen, LNG, and industrial decarbonisation partnerships. In this sense, CCUS represents not a departure from the Gulf’s hydrocarbon foundations, but their strategic adaptation to the economics and geopolitics of deep decarbonisation.

Emerging Multi-Energy Order

Rather than replacing hydrocarbons, the region is layering new export vectors onto an existing foundation, using gas revenues, sovereign capital, and industrial infrastructure to finance entry into lower-carbon energy systems. This transition is therefore evolutionary rather than disruptive, defined by sequencing, scale, and strategic hedging rather than abrupt transformation.

Whether this emerging multi-energy model succeeds will depend on bankable offtake, water and land availability, grid and shipping infrastructure, and credible carbon-accounting frameworks, to determine which export pathways mature commercially. At the same time, geopolitical stability and sustained demand from Europe and Asia remain preconditions for long-term influence.

If realised, the Gulf’s shift from exporting barrels of crude to exporting molecules, electrons, and carbon solutions could reshape the architecture of global energy trade. The question is not whether the Gulf will remain central to the energy system, but how that centrality will be redefined in a decarbonising world.

About the author: Parul Bakshi is Fellow – Energy and Climate at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) Middle East.

Source: This article was published by the Observer Research Foundation

Observer Research Foundation

ORF was established on 5 September 1990 as a private, not for profit, ’think tank’ to influence public policy formulation. The Foundation brought together, for the first time, leading Indian economists and policymakers to present An Agenda for Economic Reforms in India. The idea was to help develop a consensus in favour of economic reforms.

Octopus CEO Urges UK To Tap North Sea Oil To Stabilize Prices

By City A.M - Mar 05, 2026

• Octopus founder Greg Jackson has warned the UK is facing an energy price shock due to the Middle East conflict and has called for the government to use North Sea resources and strip "expensive distractions" like carbon capture from energy bills.
• 
  
• Global gas prices have doubled and UK wholesale electricity prices are up 50pc since the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed, with the Resolution Foundation warning this could add £500 to energy bills this year.
• 
  
• Opposition parties are advocating for easing restrictions on North Sea exploration, and the Chancellor has signaled a commitment to replacing the energy profits levy, though policy is complicated by uncertainty from the Middle East crisis.
• 
  

Octopus founder and government adviser Greg Jackson has urged Labour to “use what’s available” in the North Sea and rethink its key net zero policies. 

Jackson said the county was “staring down the barrel” of an energy price shock in light of the conflict in the Middle East. 

The Octopus chief executive who is also a member of the industrial strategy advisory council and has shared close ties with key government figures including business secretary Peter Kyle, warned “economic damage” from the crisis was imminent. 

He called on the UK government to ditch “wishful thinking” and “ideology” in order to keep prices stable and the economy afloat. 

“Global gas prices have doubled since Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, and UK wholesale electricity prices are up about 50pc,” Jackson wrote in The Telegraph.

“Hikes in energy prices are bad enough, but they feed through to inflation, which in turn raises interest rates, compounding the economic damage.”

He added: “We should use what’s available from the North Sea. While the price is set globally, there’s no point shipping gas from the other side of the world when we have it here.

Jackson also suggested that subsidy costs and “expensive distractions” including carbon capture and hydrogen projects should be stripped from energy bills. 

His intervention adds to the pressure on energy secretary Ed Miliband, who has pushed the government into doubling down on net zero efforts. 

Calls for North Sea exploration grow

Opposition parties have pledged to remove restrictions on exploration in the North Sea while President Trump has pressed Sir Keir Starmer into easing taxes on energy giants operating in the area. 

The Resolution Foundation warned that should recent rises in oil and gas prices stick, some £500 could be added onto energy bills later this year. 

Reeves met executives from North Sea oil giants BP, Serica and TotalEnergies in London to discuss energy price rises, fuelling speculation the government could ease regulation on businesses to ease pressures on Britons. 

It is understood the Chancellor said she would look to replace the energy profits levy with another tax mechanism based on revenue and market prices, as previously announced by the government. 

She warned, however, that there was greater uncertainty over policy in the face of the conflict in the Middle East.

A government source said:”The Chancellor was clear with industry that she wants the energy profits levy to come to an end. She has made that promise and she stands by it. Indeed, it was a commitment she wanted to make this week. But the crisis in the Middle East has had real-time consequences on oil and gas prices and it is right that we respond to this.”

Starmer said during Prime Minister’s Questions that the “sprint” to decarbonise the electricity grid was more important to stop the UK from being over-reliant on international markets.

By City AM 

€400 million in EU funding approved to help Greece achieve net zero emissions

Copyright AP Photo

By Ioannis Karagiorgas

Published on 06/03/2026 - EURONEWS

The funding will support strategic investments that increase clean technology capacity.

The European Commission has approved €400 million in state aid for Greece to invest in clean tech

In line with the objectives of the Clean Sky Agreement, this initiative is expected to accelerate the transition to a net zero economy. The approval was given on the basis of the Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework (CISAF), which was adopted by the Commission on 25 June 2025.

How will Greece use the €400 million funding?

The funding will support strategic investments in the clean technologies sector.

The scheme aims to provide financial support for investments that create or expand production capacity for the manufacture of zero-emission technologies, including the use of secondary raw materials. It also covers key specialised key components listed in Annex II of the CISAF, as well as the production of new or recovered critical raw materials necessary for the manufacture of finished products or their individual key components.

The support will be provided in the form of direct grants and fiscal incentives. The measure applies to enterprises throughout the Greek territory and aid may be granted until 31 December 2030.

The Commission found that the Greek scheme fulfils the conditions of the CISAF. In particular, it was found to create substantial incentives for the production of clean technologies, their basic components and the necessary critical raw materials.

The scheme will provide Greece with additional production capacity for clean technologies. The Greek State can allocate €400 million to support key investments in the sector, using a number of different measures.

 Τερέσα Ριμπέρα 

Executive Vice President responsible for a clean, fair and competitive transition

It also concluded that the measure is necessary, appropriate and proportionate to accelerate the transition to a zero-emission economy and to support economic activities central to the implementation of the Clean Industrial Deal. The decision is in line with Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and the relevant provisions of the CISAF.

On the basis of the above, the Commission has approved the Greek measure under the EU State aid rules.

"The scheme will provide Greece with additional production capacity for clean technologies," said Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice President in charge of a clean, fair and competitive transition. "The Greek State can make available €400 million to support key investments in the sector, using a number of different measures. This new production capacity will contribute to achieving the agreement's clean industry objectives while minimising potential distortions of competition."

Related

What is the Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework?

On 25 June 2025, the European Commission adopted the CISAF to promote support measures in sectors crucial to the transition to a net zero economy, as part of the Clean Industrial Deal.

The CISAF allows Member States to implement, until 31 December 2030, different categories of support to accelerate the green transition, such as:

• Measures for the development of renewable energy and low-carbon fuels (sections 4.1 and 4.2): Establishing support schemes for investment in renewable energy and storage, with simplified procedures, as well as specific arrangements to accelerate the development of low-carbon fuels.
• Temporary electricity cost reduction measures for energy-intensive enterprises (section 4.5): Ensuring the transition to clean and affordable electricity by preventing the transfer of production activities to countries with lower environmental standards.
• Measures for the decarbonisation of industry (section 5): Support for investments that reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels through electrification, energy efficiency improvements and the use of renewable or low-emission hydrogen.
• Clean technology capacity building measures (section 6): Investment in strategic projects, in line with the Zero Emission Industry Regulation, such as production of batteries, photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, heat pumps, electrolytes and carbon capture, use and storage projects, as well as for key components and critical raw materials.
• Investment risk mitigation measures (section 8): Support for private investment in clean energy, industrial carbonisation, clean technologies, energy infrastructure and circular economy projects.

More information on the CISAF is available on the Commission's official website. (source in Greek)

Middle East and North Africa 

MENA Region’s Rapid Energy Transition – Analysis

Solar power in Algeria.
Photo Credit: Wikipedia Commons

March 6, 2026
By Dr. Majid Rafizadeh


The Middle East and North Africa region is going through a rapid energy transition and has made significant advances when it comes to renewables.

Several factors have driven this rapid shift, including economic diversification goals, climate pressures and domestic energy demand. In addition, there has been a decline in the cost of clean technologies and governments across the region have been investing heavily in renewables like solar and wind and related infrastructure.

The installed renewable energy capacity in MENA is already about 30 gigawatts. And projections show an expected increase to more than 130 GW by 2030.

Although this shows that the region’s renewable energy capacity is projected to expand more than fourfold by the end of the decade, the transformation is not uniform. While some MENA countries are emerging as global clean energy leaders, others remain constrained. This is due to issues such as inefficient infrastructure, political instability and financial limitations.

However, the trajectory of renewable adoption will significantly influence the future of the region when it comes to economic stability, environmental sustainability and long-term prosperity.


Several MENA countries have positioned themselves at the forefront of the energy transition. They have done so through several paths, including ambitious national strategies, large-scale projects and supportive regulatory frameworks.

Gulf states — particularly Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar — have invested significantly to build some of the world’s largest solar installations. These countries are not only pursuing renewables and transitioning rapidly to reduce emissions, but also to diversify their economies.

Solar energy stands at the top of the region’s transition due to the fact it has exceptional solar irradiance. Regional solar capacity alone could exceed 180 GW by 2030, with more than 80 percent of growth concentrated in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt. The Gulf states’ long-term strategies — such as meeting a substantial share of their electricity demand through clean sources — shows how energy transition policies are integrated into their broader economic visions.

When it comes to North Africa, the likes of Morocco and Egypt have also made significant progress and emerged as pioneers. Morocco has invested heavily in both solar and wind infrastructure and it aims to produce more than half its electricity from renewables by 2030. Egypt is pursuing a similar target.

Some of the advantages these North African countries have are their natural resources, their proximity to European markets and their adoption of policy frameworks that are designed to attract foreign investment.

There are multiple reasons that some MENA states are accelerating their adoption of renewable energy at such a rapid pace. Firstly, energy demand is rising rapidly due to population growth, urbanization and industrial expansion. Renewable energy offers a cost-effective solution.

Secondly, economic diversification strategies — such as Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 — seek to reduce their dependence on oil by developing new industries, including green hydrogen and clean technology manufacturing.

Thirdly, falling costs due to technological advances have transformed the renewables sector and made the transition even more important and economically sound. For example, utility-scale solar projects in the region now achieve some of the lowest electricity prices globally. This makes them very competitive with fossil fuels.

Finally, climate vulnerability is increasing. Many MENA countries face extreme heat, water scarcity and desertification; this strengthens the case for the transition. Reduced emissions will help limit extreme heat and water stress.

However, in spite of this impressive progress, several countries in the region continue to lag. This is related to several underlying factors, such as bureaucratic inefficiencies, prolonged conflicts or unrest, weak governance and an inability to attract long-term investment.

Financing barriers are another major obstacle, as renewable projects demand substantial capital. This is why international climate finance and development banks should provide more support when it comes to funding.

These countries can implement comprehensive policy reforms and strategic investments to provide long-term certainty for investors. In addition, international and regional cooperation will play a vital role. For example, partnerships with European and Asian markets can facilitate technology transfer, financing and export opportunities for this transition. Also, the diversification strategies of these nations should incorporate renewables into their broader economic planning.

Geopolitically speaking, the shift toward renewables will likely reshape regional power dynamics. Countries that successfully diversify their energy systems could gain influence as exporters of clean energy and technology. But those countries that lag will risk economic deterioration, isolation and marginalization. They will also risk environmental crises in a region that is among the world’s most strategically significant.

In a nutshell, the region is undergoing a significant and rapid transition toward renewable energy, propelled by technological advances, economic necessity and environmental pressures. But progress remains uneven. Leading countries have demonstrated that decisive policies, investment and long-term planning can transform energy systems.

Ultimately, the region’s economic stability and environmental sustainability will come down to how decisively it embraces the clean energy transition. If the lagging countries join and accelerate the current momentum, MENA could emerge as a global leader in renewable energy.
This article was published at Arab News
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Dr. Majid Rafizadeh

Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a Harvard-educated Iranian-American political scientist. X: @Dr_Rafizadeh

Trump Tracker: Why we're keeping count of every climate attack the POTUS unleashes in 2026

Copyright Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

By Liam Gilliver with AP

Updated 04/03/2026 - EURONEWS

Euronews Green is holding the world's most powerful man to account, by documenting all the ways he's sabotaging climate progress this year.

In a world crippled with uncertainty, one thing is for sure: 2026 will go down in history as the year that Donald Trump single-handedly unravelled decades of climate progress.

Since his return to the White House, the POTUS and his administration have turned their back on science, ruthlessly retreating from global pledges and institutions to prioritise the profits of big polluters.

It's stripping the US – which remains the world's largest historical polluter – of any kind of accountability, while the world edges dangerously close to irreversible climate disaster.

But here's the thing: climate change and its devastating effects do not stop at country borders. What one nation does impacts us all.

That's why Euronews Green has consistently covered Trump's unwavering climate setbacks – from his "drill baby drill" attitude over Venezuela's oil reserves to repeatedly describing wind energy as a "con".

Keeping up with these fast-moving stories can be hard, which is why we've created the Trump Tracker – documenting every single action the POTUS is taking to bolster fossil fuel giants and sabotage progress.

Just two months into 2026, and we're already struggling to keep up.

March: A huge blow in the ocean

'Incredibly sadistic' attack on whales

On 3 March, the Trump administration announced plans to revoke vessel speed restrictions on the Atlantic coast that protect whales, including the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale.

Speed limits were put in place back in 2008 to align with climate-related changes in the ocean, with research showing it decreases the risk of whales being struck by ships.

But, the new notice aims to replace the speed limit rule with "unproven technological solutions" that the Centre for Biological Diversity say is not an appropriate substitute for slowing down boats.

“It’s incredibly sadistic to destroy a solution that helps shield endangered whales from being killed by speeding ships," says Rachel Rilee, oceans policy specialist at the Center for Biological Diversity.

"Trump officials are attacking one of the only protections North Atlantic right whales have against extinction. This is a brutal blow to right whales, who need and are legally entitled to far more help than they’ve been getting. I’m disgusted to see the Trump administration going after these beloved animals.”

February: More retreat and less science

'Beautiful clean coal power'

On 11 February, Trump signed an executive order directing the defence department to buy more electricity generated by coal – which is considered the dirtiest, most polluting way of producing energy.

"When burnt, coal releases more carbon dioxide than oil or gas, so it’s by far the worst fuel when it comes to climate change," says Greenpeace. "Coal also produces toxic elements like mercury and arsenic, and small particles of soot which contribute to air pollution."

The executive order does not mention climate change or the environmental impacts of burning coal. Instead, it is referred to as "beautiful clean coal power".

Repeal of the endangerment finding

On 12 February, the Trump Administration formally rescinded a scientific finding that has long been the central basis for US action to regulate heat-trapping gasses and fight climate change.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule revoking a 2009 government declaration known as the endangerment finding. This Obama-era policy determined that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare.

The endangerment finding is the legal underpinning of nearly all climate regulations under the Clean Air Act for motor vehicles, power plants and other pollution sources that are heating the planet. It is used to justify regulations, such as auto emissions standards, intended to protect against threats made increasingly severe by climate change – deadly floods, extreme heat waves, catastrophic wildfires and other natural disasters in the US and around the world.

Relate

“The Trump administration is abandoning its core responsibility to keep us safe from extreme weather and accelerating climate change,'' says Abigail Dillen, president of the nonprofit law firm Earthjustice.

“There is no way to reconcile EPA’s decision with the law, the science and the reality of disasters that are hitting us harder every year. Earthjustice and our partners will see the Trump administration in court.”

January: UN withdrawal, Venezuela's oil and legal fights

'What happened to global warming?'

In the last week of January, a dangerous winter storm swept across much of the US, leaving at least seven dead, cutting power to thousands of homes, and causing thousands of flights to be cancelled.

Trump used the weather event to cast further doubt on global warming, writing on American conservative-focused social media platform Truth Social: "Record Cold Wave expected to hit 40 states. Rarely seen anything like it before.

"Could the Environmental Insurrectionists please explain - WHATEVER HAPPENED TO GLOBAL WARMING?"

More than a dozen scientists tell news agency AP that the president’s claims are wrong. They point out that even in a warmer world, winter and cold occur, and they never said otherwise. They note that even as it is cold in the eastern United States, more of the world is warmer than average. They also stressed the difference between daily and local weather and long-term, planet-wide climate change.

Meteorologists also said that global warming over the past couple of decades may make this cold seem unprecedented and record-smashing. But government records show it has been much colder in the past.

“This social media post crams a remarkable amount of inflammatory language and factually inaccurate assertions into a very short statement,” says climate scientist Daniel Swain of the California Institute for Water Resources. “First of all, global warming continues – and has in fact been progressing at an increased rate in recent years.”

'Stupid' wind turbine rant

Speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on 21 January, Trump made several dubious claims about Greenland, NATO and renewable energy.

In a speech that lasted over an hour, Trump claimed that China makes "almost all" of the world's wind turbines, which he continues to refer to as "windmills".

"Yet I haven’t been able to find any windfarms in China,” he said. "Did you ever think of that? It’s a good way of looking. China is very smart. They make [wind turbines].”

President Donald Trump speaks with reporters aboard Air Force One after leaving the World Economic Forum in Davos for Washington, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

Trump went on to argue that China sells wind turbines to other countries for a “fortune”. “They sell them to the stupid people that buy them, but don’t use them themselves,” he added.

According to energy think tank Ember, China’s wind generation in 2024 equalled 40 per cent of global wind generation. In April 2025, wind and solar power generated more than a quarter of the country's electricity.

China is also home to the world's largest wind farm, which is visible from space. Located in the vast desert region of western Gansu, construction of the Gansu Wind Farm began in 2009, with the first phase being completed just a year later. It already features more than 7,000 turbines.

Blocking clean energy grants

On 11 January, a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration acted illegally when it cancelled $7.6 billion (around €6.52 billion) in clean energy grants for projects in states that voted for Kamala Harris in 2024.

The grants supported hundreds of clean energy projects in 16 different states. This includes battery plants, hydrogen technology projects, upgrades to the electric grid and efforts to capture carbon dioxide emissions.

The Energy Department says the projects were terminated after a review determined they did not adequately advance the nation’s energy needs or were not economically viable. Russell Vought, the White House budget director, said on social media that “the Left’s climate agenda is being cancelled".

However, US District Judge Amit Mehta said the administration’s action violated the Constitution’s equal protection requirements.

Anne Evens, CEO of Elevate Energy, one of the groups that lost funding, said the court ruling would help keep clean energy affordable and create jobs.

She told AP: "Affordable energy should be a reality for everyone, and the restoration of these grants is an important step toward making that possible."

Trump’s interest in Greenland

Trump’s growing obsession with Greenland has triggered concerns from environmentalists over its critical mineral resources, which are seen as “essential” for the green energy transition.

A 2023 survey found that 25 of the 34 minerals deemed 'critical raw materials' by the European Commission were found in Greenland. The nation is estimated to hold between 36 and 42 million metric tons of rare earth oxides, making it the second-largest reserve after China.

Tapping into these resources could help the US reduce its dependency on China, which currently processes over 90 per cent of the world’s rare earth minerals, and empower the US as demand rises.

Since his first term, Trump has been trying to tackle this issue – passing bills to increase American mineral production and stepping up deep-sea mining within both US and international waters.

However, some experts believe Greenland’s mineral reserves could just be a smokescreen for Trump’s real motives.

New dietary guidelines

The US Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture have come under fire after releasing their 2026 dietary guidelines, which encourage American households to prioritise diets built on “whole, nutrient-dense food.”

The new food pyramid puts an image of a red steak and ground beef at the top under the “protein” section, despite beef being responsible for 20 times more greenhouse gas emissions per gram of protein than plant-based alternatives such as beans and lentils.

Neither of these foods appears on the food pyramid, but they are mentioned in the full dietary guidelines.

“While there are many ways to meet our protein needs, not all protein sources have the same impact on people or the planet,” says Raychel Santo, a food and climate researcher at the World Resources Institute (WRI).

“Beef and lamb, in particular, have some of the highest environmental costs of any protein-rich food – with significantly higher greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water pollution per ounce of protein than most alternatives.”

Controlling Venezuela’s oil

After US special forces snatched Venezuela’s President and his wife in a lightning raid, Trump has shown a clear interest in the country’s oil reserves.

Venezuela holds the largest proven crude oil reserves in the world, sitting on an estimated 303 billion barrels (Bbbl) – outranking petrostates like Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Trump immediately confirmed the US would be “very strongly involved” in the country’s oil industry, with plans to send large US firms to fix Venezuela’s oil infrastructure and “start making money for the country”. In an interview on 8 January, he said the US could tap into Venezuela’s oil reserves for years.

In an era of accelerating climate breakdown, eyeing Venezuela’s vast oil reserves this way is both reckless and dangerous

 Mads Christensen 

Greenpeace International

“The only safe path forward is a just transition away from fossil fuels, one that protects health, safeguards ecosystems, and supports communities rather than sacrificing them for short-term profit," Christensen adds.

US pulls out of UN climate treaty

The POTUS was accused of “sinking to a new low” after pulling the US out of a key climate treatyin a sweeping withdrawal from global institutions.

In a Presidential Memorandum signed on 7 January, Trump argued it is “contrary to the interests of the US” to remain a member of, participate in, or provide support to more than 60 international organisations, treaties and conventions.

This includes the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) – which aims to stabilise greenhouse gas emissions – and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the world’s leading authority on climate science.

"At a time when rising seas, record heat, and deadly disasters demand urgent, coordinated action, the US government is choosing to retreat," says Rebecca Brown, President and CEO of the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL).

"The decision to defund and withdraw from the UNFCCC does not absolve the US of its legal obligations to prevent climate change and remedy climate harm, as the world’s highest court made clear last year."

On 27 January, Trump also officially exited the Paris Agreement – a move he initially put in motion on his first day in office on 20 January 2025. It leaves the US the only country to have withdrawn from the pact, which aims to limit global warming from reaching 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Iran, Libya and Yemen are the only countries that didn't join the agreement.

 

From trash to climate tech: rubber gloves find new life as carbon capturers materials

Millions of rubber gloves end up in incineration or landfill, but researchers at Aarhus University, Denmark, have now developed a technology that can turn the used gloves into a way to capture CO₂

Aarhus University

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Every year, over 100 billion nitrile rubber gloves are produced. They are made from synthetic polymers—a material chemically related to plastic and derived from crude oil. The vast majority is used in the healthcare sector, and most are discarded after single use. This creates a massive amount of material waste globally. However, Simon Kildahl, a postdoc at the Department of Chemistry at Aarhus University, has moved a step closer to a way of recycling these gloves. In a new study published in the scientific journal CHEM, he and his colleagues demonstrate how they can transform waste rubber into a CO2 adsorbent in the laboratory. The potential, he explains, is significant.

"A plastic bottle can be recycled relatively easily, as we know from deposit-return systems. But other plastic materials are problematic because they cannot be reused in the same way. Therefore, they often end up being burned, which is currently the case for rubber gloves," he says.

"In our experiments, we converted the glove so that it can capture CO2 instead of becoming a waste product that releases CO2 and other harmful gases during incineration."

Major Breakthroughs

Simon Kildahl is part of the Skydstrup Group under the Novo Nordisk Foundation CO2 Research Center (CORC). Headquartered at Aarhus University, the center is a global collaboration of universities researching ways to capture CO2 or convert it into products like fuel via Power-to-X.

The group has previously succeeded in recycling materials such as polyurethane foam from mattresses, as well as epoxy and glass fibers from wind turbine blades—materials that were previously considered impossible to recycle. Now, it appears they have succeeded with rubber gloves as well.

"Specifically, we shred the rubber glove into small pieces. It then reacts with a ruthenium-based catalyst and hydrogen gas, after which it can capture CO2 from simulated flue gas," Simon Kildahl explains. "In the real world, this could potentially take place at a power plant."

When heated, the rubber product regenerated and then the CO2 again, allowing the gas to be sent for underground storage or used in Power-to-X. Simultaneously, the material is refreshed and ready to capture new CO2.

 

Revolutionary Perspectives

The method is brand new. While materials for CO2 capture already exist, Kildahl’s approach stands out by using waste material that would otherwise be burned or landfilled.

The experiments bring us a step closer to a more climate-friendly alternative that aligns with the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) goal of removing 5–16 billion tons of CO2 from the atmosphere annually by 2050.

To reach these goals, CO2 must be captured from biomass incineration plants or directly from the air. The problem is that current methods require a scale-up of oil-based production, which inherently reduces the overall climate benefit.

"That is why it is smart to utilize a waste material available in such large quantities, rather than extracting more oil from the ground," Simon Kildahl points out. "With the rubber glove, we can create a CO2 capture material where almost every atom in the product comes from waste, except for a small amount of hydrogen, which can ideally be obtained from water via Power-to-X."

Promising Results

Currently, the experiments are at the laboratory stage. The goal is to make the process scalable and economically viable - a goal Kildahl believes is well within reach.

On a scale from early idea (TRL 1) to fully implemented commercial technology (TRL 9), the research is currently at a level 3 or 4.

"We are working on a gram scale right now, and reactions can look and behave differently when we scale up to kilograms. But our results look very promising," he says.

The process also needs to become cheaper to produce, as the catalyst currently used is expensive.

"However, we have reached a 'proof of concept.' It is entirely possible that we can reach level 5 or 6 in the near future if we can improve the scalability and the economy of the reaction, as well as enhance certain performance parameters for CO2 capture with these materials," Simon Kildahl concludes.

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Journal

Chem

DOI

10.1016/j.chempr.2025.102918 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

CO2 Capture with Post-Modified Nitrile- and Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene Rubbers

Article Publication Date

27-Feb-2026

COI Statement

Two chamber reactors (COware®) used for some of the reactions in the work is developed and commercialized by SyTracks®, which is co-owned by professor Troels Skrydstrup, who is part of this work and leader of the research group.