To meet climate goals, Gulf countries face Herculean tasks

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (BLOOMVERG) – Across the United Arab Emirates, water is so cheap that some people run the shower just to listen to it. In Dubai, it’s normal to leave your air conditioning running at all times, even if you go away for weeks. Qatar has the largest air-conditioned outdoor jogging tracks in the world.

The monarchies that make up the Gulf Cooperation Council – Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman – built their cities on hot, arid lands, including the world’s largest continuous sand desert. In summer months, temperatures top 50C,…