GCC Climate Risks Governance: MBRSG Unveils Key Policy Report On Adaptation

The Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government has released a new policy study on climate change risks in Gulf Cooperation Council countries, warning that rising heatwaves and floods are already straining infrastructure, communities and economies, and urging governments, financial institutions and regulators to treat these threats as immediate policy priorities rather than distant environmental concerns.

The report, titled Addressing the physical risks of climate change in the GCC, is funded through a grant from HSBC Middle East within its philanthropic programmes and argues that climate resilience is now central to safeguarding long-term development gains across the region, with the cost of delay projected to outweigh the expense of early, planned adaptation measures.

Researchers stress that physical climate risks are intensifying across the Gulf Cooperation Council, with extreme temperatures, heavy rainfall and flash flooding affecting critical sectors such as energy, transport, housing and water, and the document calls for climate risks to be fully integrated into national economic planning, infrastructure design and urban policy so that growth strategies remain viable under changing climate conditions.

The study frames climate adaptation as a necessary partner to emissions mitigation, not a secondary option, and advises that GCC governments move quickly to operationalise National Adaptation Plans that use robust evidence, feature clear institutional responsibilities and governance, ensure cross-ministerial coordination and align closely with long-term national visions, sectoral strategies and public budgets.

The policy recommendations are grouped under four linked pillars, governance, implementation, data and research, and finance, and they emphasise the need for stronger adaptation finance pipelines based on better climate data, comprehensive risk assessments and innovative financial instruments that can manage uncertainty while supporting macroeconomic stability and investor confidence across Gulf Cooperation Council markets.

The report highlights potential tools such as blended finance models, public-private partnerships and sustainable finance frameworks to mobilise capital for large adaptation projects, noting that the financial sector can accelerate climate resilience by embedding climate risk management into lending, investment and insurance decisions and by encouraging collaboration between governments, regulators, investors and development institutions.

GCC climate change response, research and regional dialogue

Lead author Lama Zakzak observes that emergency responses to extreme weather in GCC states have generally been effective, yet the analysis argues that policy must shift towards proactive risk management through stronger climate information systems, early warning services and continuous monitoring frameworks capable of tracking emerging climate threats and guiding regular updates of adaptation policies and investment priorities.

The study, launched during the Green Finance Conference at the World Future Energy Summit, adds to the Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government’s wider knowledge base, including indices issued through the World Government Summit, and underlines the institution’s sustained interest in sustainability and climate policy research that supports government performance and resilience agendas across the Arab region.

With inputs from WAM