Middle East

Zoï’s engagement in the Middle East ranges from building an environmental performance index for Saudi Arabia to engagement with grassroot activists in Palestine, where Zoï is helping find ways to address air pollution and the management of waste and chemicals.
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Zoï has been engaged in the Middle East since 2009 when we published the groundbreaking report, Environment and Security Issues in the Mediterranean.

In terms of climate change impacts and geopolitics, the region is a global hotspot. Some of our activities conducted in 2022 show how Zoï’s work can support both developed and developing countries in analysing and communicating environmental issues.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the Middle East. Zoï is privileged to be part of the cooperation between UNEP and the Kingdom, and to witness many of the green development transitions Saudi Arabia is making, including the futuristic Neom City and the Riyadh Metro. Zoï has seen the country's officials pay close attention to environmental performance indicators and the strong drive to reduce carbon emissions and diversify dependence on the oil sector. The Kingdom has ample opportunity to benefit from better sharing and utilization of its wealth of environmental data and information, and to become an influential player in the Middle East in this area. Zoi is ready to share its expertise in Shared Environmental Information Systems and State-of-the-Environment reporting and visualization as part of the transformative changes taking place in Saudi Arabia.

The most important climate change event – the annual UNFCCC Conference of the Parties – was held in the Middle East in 2022 in Sharm-El-Sheik, Egypt, and the 2023 Conference will take place in Dubai, UAE. It is a hopeful sign that countries of the region, known for its extreme climate and as a hub for the production and transfer of fossil fuels, are taking their climate commitments and concerns seriously.

Palestine is a small but vibrant part of the Middle East, with its own challenges in climate change, air pollution and waste on top of its geopolitical issues. Zoï is working with UNEP to help the government in Palestine develop strategies and policies to improve air quality monitoring and strengthen capacities in chemical and waste management under international conventions. Here, our work focuses on communication and making policies work. On another, more bottom-up level, we support citizen science activities for monitoring air pollution, and with civil society partners, such as the Museum of Natural History in Bethlehem, we engage in environmental awareness campaigns targeting school children.