IRAN
Across the water from the Gulf states, Iran appears to have stolen a march on environmental action. In 2016, the nation’s parliament ratified a 15-year plan to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. These include measures to ensure food security, make efficient use of water and allow groundwater reserves to replenish. Plans have also been floated to export renewable electricity to Iraq, Oman, Afghanistan, Turkey, Armenia, and Tajikistan. In 2018, Iran began operations at a 61MW wind farm, bringing the nation’s installed wind power up to 141MW. In a move aimed at giving renewables longterm certainty, the energy ministry has guaranteed to purchase the output of renewable energy plants for 20 years and provided tax incentives for other renewable energy projects.
Meanwhile, Norway’s Saga Energy signed a €2.5bn deal to build a solar power plant with generating capacity of up to 2GW over the next five years.