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Soma Mater
February 02, 2026
Welcome to the SOMA MATER weekly newsletter.
At SOMA MATER, we specialize in delivering comprehensive research and advisory services with a focus on Food & Water Security and Net Zero Transition in the MENA Region. In order to support our subscribing clients in navigating these topics and understanding the regional narrative, we produce monthly Food and Water Security and Net Zero Transition Intelligence Reports, along with our in-depth analysis and insights.
This weekly newsletter highlights the top 3 stories from the past week in Food and Water Security and Net Zero transition, along with SOMA MATER's analysis and perspective.
How can urban planning in the GCC better integrate mobility systems to support the rapidly growing population?
How much progress has Saudi Arabia made in reducing food waste and loss?
What factors make the water dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia over the Nile particularly challenging to resolve?
Sustainably yours,
The SOMA team
When Cities Forget How To Move: Dream Communities, Hard to Reach
#NetZeroTransition
A white paper by Al-Futtaim reveals a gap in the GCC's rapid urban expansion: some of the UAE's most liveable communities can be difficult to access. The report argues that urban mobility should be woven into city design from the start, not added as an afterthought. With Dubai's 2033 strategy aiming to double GDP and population, the disconnect between urban planning and mobility systems is important to address.
Drawing on a survey of UAE respondents and industry insights, the white paper champions a "systems approach" that treats cities as interconnected wholes rather than siloed parts. This is important considering that by 2035, 85% of the GCC population is expected to live in urban areas, which are already facing extreme heat and unstable weather that demand adaptive strategies across all systems.
Real change requires collaboration between public and private sectors—governments setting vision and enabling innovation through flexible regulations, while businesses look beyond short-term profits to create shared value. Among the quick wins recommended was introducing regulations for new developments that integrate green spaces and public transport access. Consistent frameworks across the MENA region and treating mobility as central to city-making are also essential.
SOMA’s Perspective:
The systems approach championed in this white paper reflects what SOMA has consistently advocated: climate-related challenges cannot be solved through isolated interventions. When cities treat mobility, green infrastructure, and climate adaptation as separate concerns, they create fragmented solutions. Quick fixes deliver short-term wins, but cannot withstand the pace and intensity of climate impacts. The region's climate realities demand integrated thinking from the start.
Sources:
155 Kilograms and Counting: Saudi Arabia's Recipe for Cutting Food Loss
#FoodandWaterSecurity
The General Food Security Authority—Saudi Arabia's designated entity for food security and strategic commodity oversight—announced that the food waste index dropped to 15.8% in 2025 (from 18.9% in 2019). The food loss index also dropped to 12.1% from 14.2% over the same period. These indicators measure waste at different points in the supply chain: the Food Waste Index focuses on retail and consumer levels, while the Food Loss Index covers production up to retail.
On average, each person in the Kingdom accounts for approximately 155 kilograms of food loss and waste annually. The declines suggest that corrective policies and better food resource management are delivering results. Globally, food waste remains a challenge, generating 8-10% of greenhouse gas emissions and consuming nearly 30% of the world's agricultural land, while representing over $1 trillion in wasted value each year.
Data quality is critical to measuring progress. Among G20 countries, only six—including Saudi Arabia—have datapoints for household food waste of high confidence and suitable for tracking purposes. In the region, both Saudi Arabia and Qatar have achieved this high-confidence data classification. The Kingdom’s baseline study, conducted by the Saudi Grains Organisation in 2019, included over 7,000 samples across 13 regions. Consistent measurement by a designated authority appears to be key to reliable data across all sectors.
SOMA’s Perspective:
Saudi Arabia's investment in food security infrastructure is delivering results. What sets this story apart is data quality: you cannot manage what you do not measure. The data shows that the countries with significant reductions in food loss and waste are the ones that have been measuring consistently for many years, building reliable baselines and tracking change over time. For the MENA region to properly address food loss and waste, data quality must become the standard.
Sources:
Egypt and Ethiopia: When Rivers Run Deep (And Tensions Run Deeper)
#FoodandWaterSecurity
President Trump recently sought to renew U.S. efforts to mediate the water dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia. At the heart of the conflict is the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which has intensified disagreements over water allocation. While Egypt welcomes the intervention, it may face resistance in Ethiopia, where pride in the GERD remains one of the country's most unifying sentiments.
This dispute has historical roots. In 1979, Egypt's president declared that water was "the only issue that could lead Egypt back to war," threatening force if Ethiopia blocked its rights to the Nile. In 1898, Britain and France nearly went to war over control of the White Nile's headwaters, shaping Egypt’s water policy ever since. During 2011, Ethiopia seized the opportunity to begin construction of the GERD. Since then, there have been public protests over water shortages across Egypt in 2012 and a 2020 cyberattack on Ethiopian water systems.
Water issues are complex in practical, ideological, and symbolic terms, making them difficult for policymakers to grasp in their entirety. International river basins are the most challenging scenarios for effective resource management, particularly as climate change increases the urgency for adaptation tools. Although water dispute resolutions can be typically resolved with dialogue and mediation by third parties, this type of conflict is likely to keep increasing in the future.
SOMA’s Perspective:
The Nile has been a source of geopolitical tension for years. This legacy of conflict is woven into the region's history. What has changed is the intensity and urgency that climate change brings to the table. Climate stress is now a reality that compounds every decision. We are moving toward a future where water considerations will shape economic policy, urban planning, trade agreements, and geopolitical strategy. This shift is because water security is not merely an environmental concern but a fundamental economic driver.
Sources:
SOMA MATER is writing Intelligence Reports on the topics of Food and Water Security and Net Zero Transition. If you’d like to know more, contact us through the link below: