MUSCAT: The Sultanate of Oman plans to harness an array of ‘Negative Emission Technologies’ to deal with an anticipated 8 per cent gap in its strategy to become a Net Zero economy by 2050.
A robust energy transition framework drawn up by Omani authorities encompasses not only a large-scale pivot to low-carbon fuels, but also comprehensive greenhouse gas (GHG) emission mitigation strategies and decarbonization initiatives targeting the following main sectors: Oil & Gas, Industry, and Transportation. A judicious implementation of this framework is expected to nevertheless leave Oman falling short of its Net Zero target by about 8% in the approach to 2050. This deficit, dubbed the ‘last mile’ challenge, is proposed to be addressed through investments in projects and initiatives based on the deployment of Negative Emission Technologies.
According to experts, negative emission technologies (NETs) encompass processes by which carbon emissions are captured and stored to help lower the overall GHG concentrations in the atmosphere, thereby contributing to negative emissions. This outcome can be achieved either naturally through, for example, investments in natural carbon sinks such as afforestation and blue carbon projects initiatives, or via the deployment of ‘engineered solutions’, such as Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and Direct Air Capture (DAC).
Recently, the Omani government, represented by the Ministry of Finance, underscored the role of negative emission solutions in delivering on Oman’s Net Zero goal. The Ministry has unveiled a new Sustainable Finance Framework setting out a vision to secure green finance to help fund Oman’s transition to a clean energy economy.
“In order to achieve Net Zero GHG emissions by 2050, Oman has established a systematic strategy that embraces an orderly transition pathway,” said the Ministry in an overview of its financing framework for the sector. “The 21% reduction of GHG emissions by 2030 from the BAU (business as usual) scenario will be followed by a 54% reduction by 2040 and an ambitious 92% reduction by 2050, leaving Oman with a “last-mile” challenge of around 8% of GHG emissions which need to be addressed to achieve Net Zero by 2050. To bridge the gap, Oman intends to leverage decarbonization technologies such as engineered or natural negative emissions methods,” the Ministry explained.
Significantly, the National Strategy for an Orderly Transition to Net Zero, published by the Environment Authority in November 2022, envisions the rollout of six main decarbonisation technologies to enable Oman to abate 92% of its GHG emissions estimated at 97 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent by 2050. These technologies are based on energy and resource efficiency, electrification and renewables, battery electric technology, sustainable hydrogen, carbon capture and storage and negative emission solutions.
However, the last mile gap, representing an estimated 7 million tonnes of CO2e by 2050, is proposed to be addressed through breakthrough decarbonization technologies and natural negative emissions, such as direct-air capture (DAC) of carbon with storage in depleted reservoirs or the planting mangrove trees to absorb atmospheric carbon), and other critical behavioral changes (for example, substituting carbon-intense products or materials), as outlined in the national strategy.
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