Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Ali Ibrahim Al-Naimi, has joined more than 20 world leaders at the Paris Climate Change Conference to announce a launch of a global initiative ‘Mission Innovation’ that commits governments to double public investments in clean energy innovation over the next five years, Trade Arabia and Washington Post reported.

Al-Naimi said: “The kingdom has a strong focus on clean energy research, and innovation. Our efforts include the development of a road map for technology, and research in the field of carbon management from all stationary and mobile sources, and its utilization in industrial areas, and for enhanced oil recovery. The kingdom also invests in the development and implementation of energy efficiency technologies, and in renewable energy sources such as solar and wind energy.”

Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates, in partnership with other prominent public figures and investors such as Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Jack Ma, Richard Branson, George Soros, and Saudi Prince Al Waleed bin Talal, as the only Arab member, has launched a Breakthrough Energy Coalition to negotiate financing of clean energy by the private sector, Al-Bawaba wrote.