Editor's note: Shoumik Mukherjee is a former journalist who spent more than 20 years in the Gulf Cooperation Council region. He is currently based in Abu Dhabi, where he works as a senior account director at APCO Worldwide. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

It would have been hard to imagine a couple of decades ago that some of the most formidable leaders in climate action would emerge from a region that is devoid of any natural resources other than fossil fuel. The accomplishments of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in a span of 50 years are nothing short of a miracle, with the country all set to showcase its environmental feats when it hosts the UN climate conference, COP28, next year.

Equally striking is the case of Saudi Arabia, where revolutionary initiatives in recent years have rendered the country a persona that is almost unrecognizable. A common factor unanimously attributed to the progress of the two nations is their extraordinarily pragmatic leadership, largely reflected in such bold visions as the UAE's Net Zero by 2050, and Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030. Less obvious are their mechanics, which are underpinned by the spirit of global collaboration, meaningful and mutually beneficial partnerships, and a genuine will and the ability to take all on board in the journey to the future.

These phenomena were on display during a recent visit of Jin Liqun, president of the Beijing-headquartered Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), to the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, where the multilateral institution chose to open its first overseas operational base to efficiently drive green infrastructure development in Asia and beyond. At the core of the AIIB's mission lies sustainability and innovation, factors that also define the development perspective of the UAE, a founding member of the bank, represented by Abu Dhabi Fund for Development.

This pursuit is exemplified by an agreement signed this year between the UAE-based AMEA Power and China's SPIC Huanghe Hydropower Development Company (HHDC) to develop solar, wind, and green hydrogen projects in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, which the UAE's Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Sultan Al Jaber called a partnership that "sets the standard for other countries to follow."

The region's partnership with China is not new, despite it being in the spotlight now, not least because of its upsurge, and impact, as well as some crucial developments and events including the upcoming China-Arab Summit in Saudi Arabia.

In 2019, a consortium led by Saudi-based ACWA Power and China's Silk Road Fund was chosen for the fourth phase of the UAE's Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, which is expected to generate 5 gigawatts (GW) of power by 2030. The 1.2GW Noor Abu Dhabi solar project, co-developed by China's Jinko Solar Holding, is touted as the world's largest operational single-project solar PV plant. Masdar executives also intend to increase their company's participation in Belt and Road Initiative projects, expanding on equity agreements like the one between Masdar and the China Resources Group, which owns a stake in the UK's Dudgeon Offshore Wind Farm.

The ties with China received a shot in the arm when the leaders of China and Saudi Arabia held a phone conversation earlier this year, where both reaffirmed their commitment to climate cooperation that they said would benefit neighbors in Asia and the Middle East, especially those that are lagging in their climate commitments.

Sustained collaborations such as these largely explain the Gulf Arab countries' success in achieving almost 313 percent growth in installed renewable energy capacity between 2014 and 2018, led by two of the most dominant economies in the region, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

The impact of these collaborative efforts on the future of these countries, the region and beyond will be accentuated at the Chinese-Arab Summit in Saudi Arabia. The event would also showcase the depth of ties between China and the region, whereby Chinese businesses could deliver technology-based support and services regardless of any delays in infrastructure projects.

This means that "digital infrastructure projects remain possible in a climate where resources are even more restricted," as Jude Blanchette and Jonathan Hillman have argued in a paper about the Digital Silk Road for the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Investments in renewable energy may slow down in part by the collapse in oil prices and the global economic slump. This situation is particularly plausible in some oil- and gas-producing nations that depend on government expenditure and anchor investments from state-owned corporations to support emerging sectors.

But neither has China wavered in its collaborative missions with the Gulf to promote clean energy, nor have its heavyweight Gulf partners lost sight of the potential benefit of the alliance as they strive to enable the world to increasingly adopt renewable energy and clean technology. 

In a world where volatility and uncertainty rule the roost, these partnerships underscore the value of a philosophy reflected in the proverb, "if you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together."

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