2024 is on track to be the warmest year on record, according to the World Meteorological Organization, and countries in the Middle East and North Africa are expected to bear the brunt of the extreme heat. The MENA region has been heating up at twice the global average for the past four decades and is forecasted to be four degrees Celsius warmer than pre-industrial temperatures by mid-century, according to the World Economic Forum.

Climate scientists say heat waves and droughts will become more frequent as the atmosphere heats up along with economic expansion and population growth, meaning the demand for air conditioning and desalinated water will rise. Being one of the hottest regions in the world, air conditioning is an absolute year-round necessity in many Middle Eastern countries. Being a water-scarce part of the world, desalinated water suitable for drinking, washing and cooking is crucial. 

Nearly 95% of the electricity generated in the Middle East comes from fossil fuels, the highest share in the world, despite the region having some of the world's best solar resources, according to the International Energy Agency. The World Bank estimates that between 22% to 26% of all solar energy that hits the planet is concentrated in the MENA region, and it can supply at least half of the world’s global electricity consumption. 

That potential has not been realized, but some countries there have ambitious carbon emissions plans. The United Arab Emirates plans to cut emissions by 19% by 2030 from 2019 levels and reach net zero by 2050. Bahrain, Kuwait, Israel, Oman and Saudi Arabia have set net-zero targets for 2060. However, as of October, when the IEA released its World Energy Outlook, only five out of 12 countries in the Middle East had committed to net-zero goals by the mid-century.