Going Green
Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) staged a Majlis stakeholder engagement session to raise awareness of the concept of the green economy as part of the company’s “Green Week” initiative in Salalah.
The thought leadership event, which was held under the auspices of HE Najeeb bin Ali Al Rawas, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs (MECA), focused on the theme of “Green Economy: Promising Opportunities for Investment.”
The interactive panel debate and question and answer session aimed to respond to global demands to pursue low emission developments and the efficient use of resources as well as enhancing government endeavours to diversify the economy and identify investment opportunities across key sectors.
The wide-ranging discussion also addressed green investment barriers and potential obstacles and covered the need to develop a roadmap for implementing green investment opportunities in areas such as renewable energy within Oman.
The Majlis followed the dialogue about a green economy the day before at a workshop organised by PDO in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme, which was attended by high-level stakeholders from various concerned entities.
PDO External Affairs and Value Creation Director Abdul-Amir bin Abdul-Hussein Al Ajmi Said, “In the past few years, significant efforts have been carried out to maximise economic diversification alongside the oil and gas industry and we hope that this session will contribute to those efforts. There are many opportunities for Oman within the green economy and it is imperative that different sectors work together to translate them into a reality so that the country operates more sustainably.
“While it is true that PDO is primarily an oil and gas company, such initiatives which benefit economic diversification and the environment are part and parcel of our activities and efforts to be a good corporate citizen.”
More than 170 people, including key representatives from the public and private sectors, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and academic institutions, attended the event which was held at the Millennium Resort Salalah.
Guest panellists included Eng. Ahmed Al Hinai, Director General of Environmental Affairs at MECA; Dr. Ahmed Al Ghassani, Riyada Chief Executive Officer; Mohammed Al Shuayli, PDO Head of Corporate Environment; and Eng. Muhannad Al Juma, Manager of the Oman Environmental Services Holding Company (Be’ah) Academy. The session, which lasted two hours, was moderated by Sheikh Mohammed Al Harthy, Executive Vice President, Strategic Development at Be’ah.
The event also featured an exhibition for SMEs which are working in the green economy field and the launch of an English/Arabic Renewable Energy Glossary by the PDO Translation team.
The Majlis was part of a series of green environmental activities organised this week by PDO in Salalah including a three-day litter clean- up campaign of key tourist areas in the city and a five-day health awareness event on the dangers of smoking organised by PDO’s Medical team in collaboration with the Oman Anti-Tobacco Society.
The PDO Majlis initiative was launched last year with the aim to bring together specialists and stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and experiences to discuss challenges and opportunities across a range of significant topics for the nation to share learnings and suggest practical recommendations for implementation.Other topics covered in previous sessions across the Sultanate have been renewable energy, energy management, In-Country Value, collaborative social investment and knowledge management.