Tarek Taher, the president and CEO of the Aal Taher Group, is an eminent Saudi businessman at the helm of an organisation with 2,000 employees.

But he is also a dedicated conservationist, playing a leading role in helping protect and preserve the environment through several corporate and private initiatives. Taher talks to OGN about green initiatives, trading in emissions, the potential for solar energy and more...

What is the level of environmental standards being employed by the industries in the Gulf?
There is reasonable implementation of environmental standards within the Gulf’s industries. We have seen increasing concerns on environmental issues among Gulf states, through the enhancement of environmental laws and regulations during a project’s development and by applying environmental impact assessment (EIA) for all new projects. However in Saudi Arabia there needs to be better implementation of these regulations through the Presidency of Metrology and Environment (PME) by enforcing penalties on those who do not follow these regulations.

Is the Western experience in fighting pollution an adequate model for the developing world?
Of course, as far as it is integrated with national needs and experiences. Saudi Arabia is a member in Kyoto protocol and the World Trade Organisation (WTO), which obliges it to enforce international regulations at a local level.
 
Is nuclear energy an option for power generation?
Nuclear energy shouldn’t be our first choice in our region. Efforts should be directed towards solar energy as an alternative as we have sunshine for the whole year in some places. However, we should have the knowledge of the peaceful and safe use of clean energy.

Is trading in carbon emissions beneficial to the GCC?
Yes it is a potential business, but this technology has not been adopted or invested yet in the region.

How do you see the use of solar energy in the Gulf?
I think the use of solar energy in the Gulf has not been utilised to the desired level due to cheap available energy resources, the high cost of solar technology, equipment, and its maintenance. I strongly recommend that more efforts be directed to raise awareness to the use of this abundant source of energy, especially in agricultural industries as well as remote civilian areas.

How can Middle East manufacturers become more energy efficient?
We need to raise awareness of the availability and benefits of solar energy in the region, and import such technologies in specific sectors so that their use becomes economically viable. Plus, there are vast environmental benefits to be gained from such technologies.

How are the Middle East energy firms coping with the growing calls for cleaner fuels?
The Middle East’s energy firms are not coping enough with calls for cleaner fuels, even though there is enough clean fuel resources in the region. For example natural gas can be utilised more to produce clean energy.

How serious is the challenge posed by bio-fuels to GCC oil majors?
There is no serious challenge for GCC oil majors from the bio-fuels industry. Bio-fuels are currently not a reliable energy source as there are many obstacles facing it; on the other hand oil will remain the most reliable economical energy source for the next century.

Will environmentally-friendly business practices hurt industrial revenues?
Of course not, actually “environmentally friendly business” is another phrase for “sustainable development”. Sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. For example, if a coastal area is developed without considering marine environment issues, the local fishermen will be suffering more due to the damage caused by the development to the key habitats where they fish. By sustaining our environment we sustain our business, therefore we should implement environmentally-friendly business practices in all our industrial activities. This will help sustain our revenues in the long term. We must have a clear forward vision of sustainable development and believe that it is part of the solution.

How can Middle East firms develop their green credentials?
By designing specialised environmental programme for firms to educate and raise awareness on environmental issues. From my own experiences, I established a private environmental organisation called Reef Chief within the Aal Taher Group in order to assist my country in conserving the Red Sea and to educate citizens and our staff on environmental issues. We have also set up an environmental company called Techno Arabia for Environment dedicated to the rehabilitation of the soil and shoreline from pollutants such as oils and chemicals. Along with these two organisations we are in process of establishing an environmental impact assessment (EIA) company to address the requirements of environmental projects within the Kingdom’s industrial sector, to complete the circle.

It is a challenge to deploy a uniform, yet adaptive corporate environmental strategy across many geographies...
Yes it is a major challenge, deploying such a strategy needs sustained efforts. The world has become a small place, therefore any damage to one area will affect the other. We need to apply international conventions and agreements to protect our environment, because pollution is a global problem, not a local one.
How do you rate the success of gas-to-liquids (GTL) projects in the region?
There are some good examples of success in GTL projects especially in Qatar which is leading these efforts. Saudi Arabia will be among the largest GTL producers in a few years.

How do you see environmental issues within your group?
For more than 40 years, the Taher Group (TG) has put the environment as one of its priorities and concern in all its services and products. TG is also participating in the conservation of the environment and wildlife in the Kingdom through direct funding and participation. The TG group is among the first companies in the Kingdom that started implementing environmental laws and regulations within its companies and projects. We have implemented strict biosafety regulations in our Radwa farms, such as water treatment plants and state-of-the-art environment-friendly desalination plants to support our industries.
We provide up-to-date environmental reports on each of the TG’s companies and projects, and provide preliminary EIA on our projects. Not only that but we also managed to provide solutions and alternatives to prevent environmental damages. Moreover, Reef Chief helps in protecting and conserving our unique Red Sea ecosystem. The overall objective of Reef Chief is to promote conservation of coastal and marine habitats and biodiversity in the Red Sea with close collaboration with relevant organisations. Reef Chief is producing a series of documentaries to raise awareness about the Red Sea’s fragile ecosystem called “Red Sea My Planet”. Now we are stepping into the world of 3D and IMAX films to bridge the gap between the East and the West with an environmental flavour.