Why the tracker exists
As the global climate transition accelerates, a central challenge remains the lack of reliable and accessible data on the scale, direction, and characteristics of Gulf climate finance in the Global South. While the GCC states have emerged as increasingly important actors in renewable energy, green infrastructure, and industrial development, there is currently no comprehensive mechanism for tracking the full extent of Gulf green investment across regions and sectors.
The Gulf Green Outward Investment Tracker seeks to address this gap through a structured database and analytical framework developed in partnership with the Grantham Research Institute for Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics and Political Science. The Tracker maps pledged foreign direct investment, including both equity and debt financing, from GCC countries into green sectors across the Global South.
Particular attention is given to sovereign wealth funds, state-backed investment vehicles, national champion companies, and development finance institutions, helping clarify not only where Gulf capital is being deployed but also the institutional actors driving investment decisions.
Initial sector and regional scope
This focus reflects both methodological and practical considerations. These sectors represent established areas of Gulf overseas investment and provide sufficient project-level data to test and refine the tracking methodology. The methodology can subsequently be expanded to green manufacturing, climate-smart agriculture, water infrastructure, carbon management technologies and grid modernisation.
The research tracks pledged foreign direct investment originating from the GCC and directed toward the four partner regions covered by the Rihla Initiative: the Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia and the Caucasus, and South and Southeast Asia.
Collaborative research process
The Tracker is developed through a collaborative process involving the Rihla councils, institutional partners and external experts. Members of regional councils and focus groups contribute insights on projects, markets and emerging investment trends through regular consultations and voluntary submissions.
This process strengthens data quality while helping ensure that the Tracker reflects developments on the ground across multiple regions.
Connecting data to outcomes
Country and sector case studies form an important component of the analytical work. In addition to aggregate data, the Tracker periodically examines specific investment corridors, sectors and projects to better understand the motivations, structures and outcomes of Gulf investments.
These case studies complement the broader dataset and help connect investment trends to policy and development outcomes.
Explore the tracker ↗