Saudis launch carbon initiative
SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt, Nov 13, (KUNA): Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman proclaimed Saturday the launch of the “Knowledge center for circular carbon economy” as a regional cooperation platform aimed at empowering countries and organizations to achieve their climate ambition.
This came in a speech delivered by Prince Abdulaziz during Saudi Arabia’s green initiative session as part of the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27), held in Egypt’s Red Sea resort city of Sharm ElSheikh.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia would launch next year a regional center to revive reducing emissions in the center of Riyadh, he revealed.
“Over the past year, we worked with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia to launch the center,” he said.
He said that they talked with the COP27 to enable Saudi Arabia to host MENA climate week in 2023.
He noted that Saudi Arabia and its people want a better future, saying “we have bigger opportunities with youths to meet these aspirations provided seriousness and abidance to make the region sees what we do”.
He referred to the need of initiatives similar to the Middle East and Saudi Arabia’s as the region has been greatly affected by climate change.
Saudi Arabia launched planting 10 billion trees across the Kingdom, he said, indicating that it is the most ambitious project in the world to preserve environment and contribute to absorbing big amount of carbon.
Meanwhile, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry stressed the necessity of a funding plan to adapt to climate changes.
He pointed to collective action to combat climate changes either in the Middle East or the surrounding areas in general.
He said that it is impossible to reach a binding and legal format on the multilateral system of the COP27 without reaching an agreement and recognition of all countries.
Furthermore, head of COP26 Alok Sharma said it is imperative to set plans to help developing countries transform into clean energy by pumping government and private sector’s money in this regard.
At least 30 percent of the world’s economies have been affected by coronavirus, he said, stressing the need to combat climate change.
There were talks in Glasgow and Paris, and these talks should be the base of people’s ambition for the future of climate, he said.
He stressed the need of curbing temperature not more than 1.5 degrees, and this part should be the basis of this process.