1st ever MENA Climate Week 2022 kicks off in UAE

The Middle East and North Africa Climate Week 2022 (MENACW22), today commenced at Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai, and will run from 28th to 31st March.

The opening ceremony was attended by Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Special Envoy for Climate Change; Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment; Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Chairman of the World Green Economy Organisation (WGEO) and MD and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA); Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), along with officials from the government and private sectors, dignitaries from MENA region and beyond, and several heads of UN organisations, as well as a large number of climate action experts from all over the world.

The event is hosted by the UAE Government, represented by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), WGEO, and DEWA, in collaboration with the UNFCCC, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the World Bank Group. The event is supported by regional partners, including the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the League of Arab States Secretariat, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for West Asia (ESCWA), and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB).

Saeed Al Tayer said,

"This event constitutes a milestone in global climate action agenda, and marks a key moment for the region as we take up a leadership role in this global agenda. We believe MENA Climate Week 2022 is an opportunity to press forward, leverage the momentum and continue to enhance climate ambition and climate action."

He also underscored the UAE's clear commitment to embracing and building momentum for the green-economy shift, along with significant investment in renewable energy.

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber noted that given that the next two COPs will take place in this region, the MENA Climate Week is an ideal platform to address key climate challenges, and answer them with smart, progressive climate solutions.

Almheiri said that, during the MENA Climate Week, the UAE will build regional synergies to increase the pace and scale of climate action and devise a regional response model that caters to the challenges and requirements of countries from the region to enhance climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts.

On her part, Patricia Espinosa recognised the host country for its ongoing climate leadership, and said that MENA Climate Week 2022 advances efforts to open opportunity in the transition to net-zero emissions and protect communities and economies against the worst impacts from climate change, bringing together stakeholders to discuss regional solutions strengthens the global response to climate change.

News Source: Emirates News Agency