10 Government Climate Change Leaders

These 10 leaders in government in the Middle East are using their influence to create positive change.

- JASON LASRADO

Sultan Al Jaber
Country: U.A.E.
Designation: COP28 President-Designate, U.A.E. Special Envoy for Climate Change, and Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology 

Al Jaber is the first CEO to serve as a president for the Conference of the Parties (COP). During his time as Masdar’s CEO between 2006 and 2014, he established Masdar City, a low-carbon, low-waste urban development in Abu Dhabi. According to Al Jaber, Masdar has invested in solar and wind energy projects across 40 countries. In 2019, Al Jaber received a lifetime achievement award from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his contributions to energy security, supporting emerging Asian economies, and rethinking traditional energy business models.

Adel Al-Jubeir
Country: Saudi Arabia
Designation: Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Climate Envoy

Al-Jubeir has been the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs since December 2018 and was appointed as the first Saudi climate envoy following a royal decree in May 2022. Saudi Arabia’s Middle East Green Initiative aims to plant up to 50 billion trees in the Middle East, with $2.5 billion to support the initiative. At the UN General Assembly in September 2023, Al-Jubeir highlighted Saudi Arabia’s goal to double its contributions to reducing emissions by 278 million tons annually by 2030 compared to 2015.

Abdulrahman AlFadley
Country: Saudi Arabia
Designation: Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture