Peiying Hong, an environmental science and engineering academic at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), poses for a picture at a wastewater treatment plant developed by the university and located in the desert near Jeddah on Saudi's Red Sea coast on November 21, 2024. Saudi Arabia, which is hosting the United Nations' COP16 conference on drought and desertification this week -- is betting on green innovation to transform its deserts, but accusations of greenwashing and doubts about technological viability highlight the challenge of turning ambitious projects into genuine climate solutions. (Photo by Amer HILABI / AFP) (Photo by AMER HILABI/AFP via Getty Images)