The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) organized last March 2022, the first Middle-East & North Africa Climate Week Conference. The event was hosted by the UAE Government, represented by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), the World Green Economy Organization (WGEO), and Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), in collaboration with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the World Bank Group.
During this event, the UNFCCC presented several panel discussions on clean development mechanisms, climate policy representatives, and energy transition in the Middle East and North Africa. The first day of the event also witnessed two separate Ministerial Roundtables where participants explored ways and means that can help countries implement the Glasgow Climate Pact. It also touched on the expectations from and preparations on the road to COP 27; and other developments in the green economy.
The second day of the MENA Climate Week 2022 saw 44 high-profile panel discussions on the most important sustainable and innovative solutions for climate action and accelerating it.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Initiative for Global Prosperity participated in a panel discussion on innovative solutions for resilient infrastructure and construction in cities. The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy presented a session focused on scaling upa hydrogen economy through international partnerships. The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation in Egypt, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office of the UK, and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management in the Netherlands participated in a panel discussion on water management and climate resilience. And the International Renewable Energy Agency’s (IRENA’s) session focused on the role of renewable energy in stimulating climate action to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 in the Middle East and North Africa.
The World Green Economy Organization (WGEO) hosted a Ministerial Roundtable on Green Economy during the MENA Climate Week 2022. HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Chairman of World Green Economy Organization and MD and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), commended the efforts of regional governments in the transition towards a green economy. Waleed Bin Salman, Vice Chairman of WGEO, noted that the UAE has shown its commitment to embracing and building momentum towards a green economy. So much so, that in October our wise leadership announced a plan for net-zero emissions by 2050, with significant investments in renewable energy. The UAE is the first country in the Middle East and North Africa to launch a substantial initiative to achieve this ambitious climate commitment
The World Green Economy Organization highlighted ways to bridge knowledge gaps in adapting to climate impacts in the MENA region, in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Regional Office for West Asia (ROWA,) the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Regional Collaboration Centre for the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia, and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA.)
In addition, the World Bank and the UNFCCC secretariat discussed the consolidation of city-based mechanisms through the Government’s integration of these mechanisms into its urban and climate policies and strategies. Regional and international experts and officials also reviewed the challenges and opportunities with regard to the Middle East and North Africa region’s implementation of long-term strategic plans to reduce carbon emissions.
Discussions also covered the opportunities, challenges, and lessons learned from the Blockchain applications of climate action in the region were also explored.