Qatar Economic Research Highlights

ESG in Qatar & the Middle East

Ahmed Al Shamsi, Managing Director and CEO, Abu Dhabi Sustainable Water Solutions Company (SWS)

On innovative approaches in water conservation and reuse

How emerging markets are navigating the rising cost of solar power

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With high energy prices and supply chain disruptions creating shortages of key renewable energy components and materials, emerging markets are reassessing how to build out utility-scale solar power to accelerate their energy transitions. After more than a decade of decline, the cost of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels has risen around the world, due primarily to the increasing cost of solar-grade polysilicon in China. A key component in PV panels, polysilicon spot market prices rose from less than $7 per kg in July 2020 to $39 in August...

Islamic finance in Qatar adopting sustainability criteria

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Qatar’s Islamic financial services sector is engaged in a shift towards sustainability to take advantage of robust global growth in demand for sharia-compliant investments and rising interest in green finance. Globally, Islamic financial services continue to exhibit strong momentum, with loans expanding at an average compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.5% in 2020 and 2021, according to a 2022 report from credit ratings agency Moody’s. This compares favourably with conventional financing’s CAGR of 3.4% over the same...

What impact will the rise in oil prices have on the energy transition?

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Amid an increase in global demand and concerns over key supplies, global oil prices are approaching $100 per barrel for the first time since 2014. But, with prices rising, what does this mean for the renewable energy transition, especially in Gulf countries? After opening the year at around $78 per barrel, Brent crude prices rose sharply over the first six weeks of 2022 to surpass $94 as of February 14, the highest price in more than seven years. Driven primarily by a lack of supply and a recent post-lockdown spike in global demand...

Report: The road to a zero-emission automotive industry in the Middle East and Africa

Automotive stakeholders are increasingly aware that the business-as-usual scenario that has sustained the industry for more than 100 years is no longer tenable. Regulatory changes and emissions-reduction targets at the national and global level are spurring a pivot to low-carbon and zero-emissions vehicles. This transition requires a period of intense innovation to develop new technologies that make electric vehicles (EVs) appealing, safe, reliable and affordable...

Urban areas experiment with cooling technologies to combat climate change

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With temperatures in cities set to rise in the coming decades, many public and private players in emerging markets are looking to tackle the challenge of extreme heat through technology, sustainable building techniques and the expansion of urban green spaces. Cities cover just 3% of the Earth’s surface but currently house over half of the world’s population – a figure set to reach 70% by 2050. Urban population growth is predicted to be highest in emerging markets, with 90% of the shift to cities occurring in Asia and...

Report: The future of sustainable finance in Kuwait’s banking sector

The regulatory landscape for Gulf financial service providers is changing, with growing awareness of the need for banking institutions to adopt sustainable finance frameworks and responsible lending and operational practices in order to manage risk and attract international investment. By establishing sustainable finance frameworks, banking institutions are able to structure their sustainable lending practices and strengthen systemic safeguards against social and environmental risks, while also diversifying their funding sources...

Why are global food prices rising, and what does it mean for emerging markets?

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Despite an increase in crop production and international trade following a pandemic-disrupted 2020, global food prices have risen to 10-year highs, increasing pressure on many emerging markets. Following a two-month respite from month-on-month (m-o-m) declines, the UN’s World Food Price Index averaged 130 points in September, representing a rise of 1.2% m-o-m and 32.8% year-on-year. The index is now sitting at highs not seen since 2011. While food prices are high across the board, cereal prices are seeing a notable spike...