Oman phases out polluting industries ‘too difficult to decarbonise’

PARIS — As part of its climate transition, Oman aims to phase out hard-to-cut industries that are “too difficult to decarbonize” and too expensive to make them green enough, according to the country’s energy minister.

Asked what industries are at risk, Omani Minister of Energy and Minerals Salim Al Aufi told Al-Monitor: “It all depends on what industry we cannot decarbonize. “If we get to a point where decarbonizing a particular industry is just too difficult, and decarbonization is so expensive, we will have a serious discussion about whether this is the right industry.”

Al Aufi, who was appointed energy minister by Sultan of Oman Haitham Bin Tariq in June 2022, said few governments around the world were considering completely phasing out hard-to-contain sectors, but gave no timeline for when such decisions would be made.

Earlier on Wednesday, the minister addressed the Vision Golfe summit in Paris, saying Oman would completely phase out industries that “no longer fit” the country’s decarbonization drive.