Energy and the economy in the Middle East and North Africa

Abstract

The Arab region consists of a diverse set of countries with different national contexts, including in the case of energy. However, most countries remain exceptionally reliant on fossil fuels with a highly limited role played by clean energy alternatives; while the region also lags behind other region's progress in energy efficiency. In the Arab LDCs, energy access remains incomplete, severely obstructing socio-economic progress. Arab countries need to better integrate sustainable energy as a fundamental element of national development policies by directly linking policy goals across sectors such as energy, transport and urban planning; as well as elevating topics such as natural resource management, air and environmental protection along with more inclusive ways to ensure energy is used and produced sustainably to matters of explicit national interest.