MuscatOman is accelerating investment in renewable energy, waste management, biodiversity conservation and air quality as it pursues the environmental targets of Oman Vision 2040 and its goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

The initiatives have helped the sultanate climb six places in the latest Environmental Performance Index (EPI), ranking 49th globally among 177 countries, up from 55th in 2024.

The improved ranking reflects progress in climate action, sustainable natural resource management, biodiversity conservation and air quality, supported by investments in renewable energy and circular economy projects.

A key contributor has been the expansion of Oman’s air quality monitoring network, with 70 monitoring stations established across the country in 2025. Oman also introduced an internationally recognised approach that distinguishes naturally occurring dust from industrial emissions when assessing air quality, contributing to its top global ranking for reducing sulphur dioxide emissions.

The sultanate is also strengthening its circular economy through projects aimed at improving resource efficiency and reducing waste. These include the second phase of an industrial waste treatment facility, a national programme to identify and measure carbon dioxide emission sources, the installation of reverse vending machines to encourage waste segregation, and partnerships with industrial companies to produce recycled plastic materials.

A flagship waste-to-energy plant is under development and will process around 3,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste a day, generating between 75MW and 100MW of electricity. The project is expected to reduce reliance on landfills, improve resource recovery and support renewable energy generation.

As a result of these initiatives, Oman’s solid waste recycling rate has risen to around 40%.

Biodiversity conservation also remains a priority. Oman continues programmes to breed and reintroduce endangered species, with several moving into lower-risk conservation categories. 

A nationwide wildlife monitoring programme is also documenting species across the country’s diverse ecosystems.

Under its climate strategy, Oman aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 33% on the path to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. The strategy is supported by new environmental legislation and expanded digital services to strengthen environmental governance. 

The Environment and Natural Resources pillar of Oman Vision 2040 seeks to balance economic growth with environmental protection while supporting food and water security and developing green and circular economy industries.

Regionally, Oman now ranks third in the Middle East, second among Arab and the GCC countries in the Environmental Performance Index.

The country also secured first place globally in several indicators, including sustainable solid waste management, clean household fuels, sulphur dioxide emissions trends, species habitat protection and the absence of open-water bottom trawling. It ranked ninth worldwide for marine protection.

Oman aims to rank among the world’s top 40 countries in environmental performance by 2030 and the top 20 by 2040.