It is actually in the interest of Saudis to reduce oil consumption. It would help them keep more money. Oil they consume nationally is oil they can’t sell.
It is actually in the interest of Saudis to ban plastics. Microplastics is contaminating fish. Saudis eat fish. Less plastics means Saudis would be less likely to develop cancer.
It is actually in the interests of Saudis to tax SUVs. SUVs consume more oil than classic cars. And they are more likely to injure/kill people. Less SUVs mean less dead saudis, less injured saudis.
The issue is many of their leaders are very short-sighted.
Many have university degrees, but degrees aren’t wiseness. They don’t regularly watch documentaries. They don’t read books. They don’t speak to scientists.
This isn’t only a Saudi disease. Look at the americans and their orange clown. Look at the Canadians freaking out about bike lanes.
Oil they consume nationally is oil they can’t sell.
Its opposition has continued in the run-up to the UN Cop30 climate summit in Brazil, yet the country is now also making a whirlwind switch to renewable power at home.
It’s kind of in their interest to decrease their own oil consumption while keeping international oil consumption high, which is kind of what they’re doing. As for your other points, good public health is good for the economy in general, but not necessarily a boon for the leadership’s coffers. They make their money from oil; other people would make money from a thriving and diverse economy. It’s that divide that fuels seemingly counterproductive policies; they benefit special interests who don’t care about everyone else.
Keeping oil prices down slows down the green energy transition. That’s it.
If that seems odd to you then read up on what China has been doing with green energy. Then USA.
The world runs on fossil fuels. What happens when China stops playing that game?
Can you imagine someone giving you $170,000 (£129,000)? What would you buy? Can you imagine getting another $170,000 one minute later? And the handouts then continuing every minute for years? If so, you have a feel for the colossal cash machine that is Saudi Arabia’s state oil company Aramco, the world’s biggest producer of oil and gas last year…
This article is technically true but ignores Western liberal goading for our own enrichment.