Mansouri, Noura

  • Primary Program Climate & Sustainability
  • Research Interests Carbon Management, Nuclear Energy, Climate Policy, Energy Policy

Biography

Noura Mansouri is a senior fellow in the Climate & Sustainability team under Knowledge and Analysis. She is leading two projects: (i) The Circular Carbon Economy Technology Roadmaps (CCE-TRMs), and (ii) the Nationally Determined Contributions Implementation Roadmaps (NDC-IRMs). Noura served as the (lead) co-chair of the T20 Task Force on Climate Change and Environment/Sustainable Energy since the Saudi G20 presidency and continued the role under subsequent presidencies including the Italian, Indonesian and Indian G20 presidencies. Dr. Mansouri has over 20 years of research and professional experience including academia, think tank, and international energy company experiences. She earned her MBA and Ph.D. degrees in climate change, sustainability and energy transitions from the University of London and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at MIT. She is the author of Greening the Black Gold: Saudi Arabia’s Quest for Clean Energy. Noura has published extensively and spoken widely on climate change, sustainability, and energy transition.

 

Publications

See all Noura’s publications
  • Discussion papers
  • Reports
  • Instant Insights
  • Commentaries
  • KAPSARC journal articles
  • External journal articles
  • Think20 (T20)
Roadmap for Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) in Saudi Arabia Insights From Stakeholder Engagement and Expert Survey

Roadmap for Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) in Saudi Arabia Insights From Stakeholder Engagement and Expert Survey

This paper presents the findings of a survey conducted by KAPSARC, focusing on the role of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology within the framework of Circular Carbon Economy (CCE). The survey, part of the CCE Roadmaps project, aimed to gather insights from diverse stakeholders to inform the development of technology roadmaps. The study focuses on the perceived importance, barriers, and potential of CCS technologies in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, with a specific focus on their implementation in Saudi Arabia. By analyzing the perspectives of various experts and industry professionals, this research provides valuable insights into CCS’s current state and prospects within the CCE framework. The findings of this study contribute to the growing body of knowledge on sustainable energy solutions and offer important considerations for policymakers and industry leaders in shaping the future of carbon management strategies.

12th January 2025
Towards a CCS National Strategy and Roadmap for Saudi Arabia

Towards a CCS National Strategy and Roadmap for Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, has long been associated with the production and consumption of hydroacrbons. However, with the increasing concerns over climate change and the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the country has started to explore and invest in new technologies to mitigate its carbon footprint. One such technology is Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), which involves capturing carbon dioxide emissions from industrial processes and storing them underground. In this paper, we will delve into the role of Saudi Arabia in the development, demonstration, and deployment of CCS, and explore how this technology could play a crucial role in the country’s efforts to transition towards a low-carbon economy.

9th December 2024
Energy Policy Pathways to Inform Climate Policy in Saudi Arabia

Energy Policy Pathways to Inform Climate Policy in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has announced plans to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 278 million tons of CO2 equivalent (CO2e). In this regard, this paper contributes a modeling view of the climate-related effects of various energy policies on the Saudi energy system. The baseline entails the continued progression of current domestic policies without energy price reform. We examine two main alternative scenarios: The announced policies scenario (APS) incorporates some of the plans that the Saudi government has announced. In the other scenario, we run the baseline scenario with a cap on total CO2 emissions equal to those displayed in the announced policies.

13th November 2023
Keeping the Nuclear Energy Option Open

Keeping the Nuclear Energy Option Open

Nuclear energy is already playing a crucial role in reducing emissions from electricity generation. However, if this role is not expanded, achieving the international goal of avoiding unacceptable global climate change will be extremely difficult. The evidence presented in this study shows that nuclear energy’s climate benefits can be obtained without significant impacts to safety, security or energy costs.

23rd August 2022
Toward A Sustainable Agriculture Sector: Policy Options for Reducing Water Use in Abu Dhabi’s Agriculture Sector

Toward A Sustainable Agriculture Sector: Policy Options for Reducing Water Use in Abu Dhabi’s Agriculture Sector

Water shortages are a global challenge, with one third of the world’s population still without access to clean water. Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries face a scarcity of water resources due to their dry climates. The United Arab Emirates’ (UAE’s) renewable water resources are below the United Nations’ water scarcity threshold, and its water usage far exceeds the natural recharge rate by as much as 26-fold. This study investigates the water-agriculture nexus in the emirate of Abu Dhabi and provides policy options for reducing water use in the agriculture sector to sustainable levels. 

9th March 2020
The Status of Nuclear Energy in Saudi Arabia: A Strategic Approach to Energy Security and Sustainability

The Status of Nuclear Energy in Saudi Arabia: A Strategic Approach to Energy Security and Sustainability

Saudi Arabia’s strategic adoption of nuclear energy, in alignment with Vision 2030, represents a crucial step towards energy security and sustainability. The integration of nuclear power offers grid stability, low emissions, cost-effective electricity generation, and solutions for water scarcity while addressing challenges through public awareness and rigorous safety measures. Read full report on here

1st February 2024
Will Small Modular Reactors Drive the Envisioned Expansion of Nuclear Energy Within the Energy Transition?

Will Small Modular Reactors Drive the Envisioned Expansion of Nuclear Energy Within the Energy Transition?

This paper evaluates the role of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) in the global shift towards sustainable energy, driven by the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement. It highlights nuclear energy’s importance for achieving Net Zero Emissions by 2050, emphasizing its safety, efficiency, and minimal greenhouse gas emissions. Despite historical opposition due to safety, economic, and waste disposal concerns, recent geopolitical events have rekindled interest in nuclear solutions. The paper discusses the current landscape, where nuclear power contributes significantly to global electricity, and the focus on developing SMRs for their economic, safety, and versatility benefits. These reactors are particularly promising for emerging economies, offering solutions to energy poverty and sustainability challenges. The paper concludes that the successful adoption of SMRs, essential for the energy transition, depends on overcoming economic and technological hurdles and gaining wider societal acceptance. Read Full Report here

1st February 2024
Will COP26 Recognize a Role for Nuclear Energy in the Clean Energy Mix?

Will COP26 Recognize a Role for Nuclear Energy in the Clean Energy Mix?

Next month, the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), hosted by the United Kingdom, will discuss the big challenge facing the world’s governments, which is how to limit the average rise in global temperatures above pre-industrial levels to below 1.5–2 degrees Celsius, as stipulated in the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goal No. 13 (climate action). At the same time, however, the Parties to the Agreement face diverse challenges due to their unique social, economic and environmental contexts.

4th November 2021
Beyond Smart Meters

Beyond Smart Meters

Over the last two decades, many countries have installed millions of smart meters to improve the efficiency, reliability, and quality of service in the electric power sector. Compared with traditional meters, smart meters measure consumers’ electricity usage at 5- or 15-minute intervals and communicate that usage and other data automatically to the utility. Both electricity consumers and their utility can benefit from smart meters. They provide more information to manage electricity consumption, improve power outage detection and restoration, enhance opportunities for additional value-added services such as billing options and time of use rates, lower the utility’s costs, and enable distributed energy resources like solar and storage.

11th July 2021
The Saudi Nuclear Energy Project

The Saudi Nuclear Energy Project

Saudi Arabia’s nuclear energy program has been a subject of intense speculation recently, especially since the establishment of the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KA-CARE) by Royal Order No. A/90 in 2010. In 2012, the government announced a new planned energy mix, including 12 nuclear reactors. This created a lot of interest from and aggressive competition among international energy companies that wanted to take part in the reactors’ development. These companies opened offices in the Kingdom and recruited locally to establish teams that could tender for this ambitious project. KA-CARE was clear that localization was a prerequisite for vendor selection.

25th March 2020
Are Small Modular Reactors a Good Option for Saudi Arabia?

Are Small Modular Reactors a Good Option for Saudi Arabia?

Since the start of nuclear power in the 1950s, nuclear generation technology has continually transformed and developed. Following the three major nuclear accidents, Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima, nuclear power has become more robust, safer and more secure.

3rd November 2019
Does nuclear desalination make sense for Saudi Arabia?

Does nuclear desalination make sense for Saudi Arabia?

Desalination Journal

2016
Greening the Black Gold: Saudi Arabia’s quest for a cleaner energy transition

Greening the Black Gold: Saudi Arabia’s quest for a cleaner energy transition

CreateSpace

2013

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