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KAUST Circular Carbon Initiative (CCI)

Saudi Arabia

2020 - Ongoing

Climate ChangeRecyclingRenewable EnergyWaste Management

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Project Description

Approach Words: Environment Preservation, Sustainability

Public Policy Instruments: Organization, Planning

The KAUST Circular Carbon Initiative (CCI) is a research and development program launched in 2020 by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.¹ It is designed to advance the circular carbon economy through the four pillars of reducing, reusing, recycling, and removing carbon.² This initiative supports Saudi Arabia’s national climate strategy, including its 2060 net-zero pledge, while contributing to Vision 2030’s sustainability objectives.³ ⁴

Its vision is “to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 278 million tons annually by 2030”.⁵ CCI aims to position Saudi Arabia as a global leader in carbon management by integrating research, industrial partnerships, and policy frameworks.⁶

Title: The KAUST Circular Carbon Initiative's vision is to mitigate emissions by treating captured CO₂ as a valuable feedstock for a new, circular carbon economy.

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Title: Conceptual framework of the KAUST Circular Carbon Initiative.

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Title: Professor Tony Chan, President of KAUST, inaugurating the Circular Carbon Initiative in December 2020. The event convened national stakeholders to advance research into a circular carbon economy.

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Title: A KAUST researcher demonstrates a solar-powered hydrogen production system, developed in Professor Thomas Anthopoulos's group, to key stakeholders from government and industry.

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Title: The KAUST Circular Carbon Initiative's vision is to mitigate emissions by treating captured CO₂ as a valuable feedstock for a new, circular carbon economy.

Source: Click Here

Title: Conceptual framework of the KAUST Circular Carbon Initiative.

Source: Click Here

Title: A KAUST researcher demonstrates a solar-powered hydrogen production system, developed in Professor Thomas Anthopoulos's group, to key stakeholders from government and industry.

Source: Click Here

The program encompasses more than 40 research projects and collaborations with Saudi industries.⁷ Its core components include:

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies, prioritized under Saudi Arabia’s Circular Carbon Economy National Program⁸
Pilot projects in NEOM and KAUST’s campus testing renewable energy integration and CO2-to-fuel conversion systems⁹ ¹⁰
Development of AI-driven tools for monitoring emissions and optimizing energy use in sectors like desalination¹¹

In addition to these technologies, the initiative explores methane recovery and algae-based carbon capture,¹² while also investing in workforce development programs to train professionals in circular economy practices.¹³

Owner/Developer (Public)

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)²¹

Consultant/Designer

KAUST Research Teams ²²

Funder

Saudi Government ²³

Owner/Developer (Public)

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)²¹

Funder

Saudi Government ²³

Consultant/Designer

KAUST Research Teams ²²

The initiative is led by KAUST in collaboration with the Saudi Ministry of Energy, the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC), and international partners such as the International Energy Agency (IEA).¹⁴

Its Implementation is structured in phases:

Phase 1 (2020–2022): Launched seven pilot projects, including a CO2-to-methanol plant, and established partnerships with Aramco and other global firms.¹⁵ ¹⁶
Phase 2 (2023–2025): Focused on scaling CCUS deployment and advancing green hydrogen production.¹⁷
Phase 3 (2026–Ongoing): Embedding circular carbon policies into Saudi Arabia’s national frameworks.¹⁸

As of 2024, the initiative has operational projects in NEOM and on the KAUST campus, and it has produced more than 85 peer-reviewed studies since its launch in 2020.¹⁹ ²⁰

Project Link, Endnotes and References

Project Link

https://cci.kaust.edu.sa/

Endnotes

N.A.

References

KAUST Circular Carbon Initiative. Home. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). Available at: https://cci.kaust.edu.sa / (Accessed: 29 August 2025).
KAUST Circular Carbon Initiative. About. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). Accessed 29 August 2025. Available at: https://cci.kaust.edu.sa/about/kaust
King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC). Advancing the Circular Carbon Economy in Saudi Arabia. KS-2022-WB10. Riyadh: KAPSARC, 2023. Accessed 29 August 2025. Available at: https://www.kapsarc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/KS-2022-WB10-Advancing-the-Circular-Carbon-Economy-in-Saudi-Arabia-1.pdf
KAUST Sustainability. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). Accessed 29 August 2025. Available at: https://sustainability.kaust.edu.sa/saudi-arabias-vision-2030/
King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC). Advancing the Circular Carbon Economy in Saudi Arabia. KS-2022-WB10. Riyadh: KAPSARC, 2023. Accessed 29 August 2025. Available at: https://www.kapsarc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/KS-2022-WB10-Advancing-the-Circular-Carbon-Economy-in-Saudi-Arabia-1.pdf
Ali I. Al-Naimi Petroleum Engineering Research Center (ANPERC), KAUST. The KAUST Circular Carbon Initiative. Event listing, 29 May 2023. Accessed 29 August 2025. Available at: https://anperc.kaust.edu.sa/conf-2020/events/detail/2023/05/29/default-calendar/the-kaust-circular-carbon-initiative
KAUST Circular Carbon Initiative. Research. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). Accessed 29 August 2025. Available at: https://cci.kaust.edu.sa/research
King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC). Advancing the Circular Carbon Economy in Saudi Arabia. KS-2022-WB10. Riyadh: KAPSARC, 2023. Accessed 29 August 2025. Available at: https://www.kapsarc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/KS-2022-WB10-Advancing-the-Circular-Carbon-Economy-in-Saudi-Arabia-1.pdf
KAUST Circular Carbon Initiative. Research. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). Accessed 29 August 2025. Available at: https://cci.kaust.edu.sa/research
Asharq Al-Awsat (English). Saudi Arabia mobilizes research, innovation experts to activate circular carbon economy. Accessed 29 August 2025. Available at: https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2659671/saudi-arabia-mobilizes-research-innovation-experts-activate-circular-carbon
Times Higher Education. 2022: Now is the time for climate action, says KAUST president. Times Higher Education, 3 July 2023. Accessed 29 August 2025. Available at: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/hub/global-sustainable-development-congress/p/2022-now-time-climate-action-says-kaust-president
KAUST Circular Carbon Initiative. Research. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). Accessed 29 August 2025. Available at: https://cci.kaust.edu.sa/research
Ali I. Al-Naimi Petroleum Engineering Research Center (ANPERC), KAUST. The KAUST Circular Carbon Initiative. Event listing, 29 May 2023. Accessed 29 August 2025. Available at: https://anperc.kaust.edu.sa/conf-2020/events/detail/2023/05/29/default-calendar/the-kaust-circular-carbon-initiative
KAPSARC. KAPSARC–KAUST conference highlights progress on the Kingdom’s circular carbon economy. News release. Accessed 29 August 2025. Available at: https://www.kapsarc.org/news/kapsarc-kaust-conference-highlights-progress-on-the-kingdoms-circular-carbon-economy/
KAUST Circular Carbon Initiative. Launch 2020 — About. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), December 2020. Accessed 29 August 2025. Available at: https://cci.kaust.edu.sa/launch20/about
Al-Surf, M. Transitioning to a circular economy: Lessons from Saudi Arabia. LinkedIn Articles. Accessed 29 August 2025. Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/transitioning-circular-economy-lessons-from-saudi-arabia-al-surf-m9tvc
Asharq Al-Awsat (English). Saudi Arabia mobilizes research, innovation experts to activate circular carbon economy. Accessed 29 August 2025. Available at: https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2659671/saudi-arabia-mobilizes-research-innovation-experts-activate-circular-carbon
King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC). Advancing the Circular Carbon Economy in Saudi Arabia. KS-2022-WB10. Riyadh: KAPSARC, 2023. Accessed 29 August 2025. Available at: https://www.kapsarc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/KS-2022-WB10-Advancing-the-Circular-Carbon-Economy-in-Saudi-Arabia-1.pdf
KAUST Circular Carbon Initiative. Research. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). Accessed 29 August 2025. Available at: https://cci.kaust.edu.sa/research
Al-Surf, M. Transitioning to a circular economy: Lessons from Saudi Arabia. LinkedIn Articles. Accessed 29 August 2025. Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/transitioning-circular-economy-lessons-from-saudi-arabia-al-surf-m9tvc
KAUST Circular Carbon Initiative. About. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). Accessed 29 August 2025. Available at: https://cci.kaust.edu.sa/about/kaust
KKAUST Circular Carbon Initiative. Research. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). Accessed 29 August 2025. Available at: https://cci.kaust.edu.sa/research
KAUST Circular Carbon Initiative. About. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). Accessed 29 August 2025. Available at: https://cci.kaust.edu.sa/about/kaust

KAUST Circular Carbon Initiative (CCI)

Saudi Arabia

2020 - Ongoing

Project Description

Project Link, Endnotes and References

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