MENA Climate Week boosts country participation in COP28

Recently, the Saudi government, in partnership with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), hosted the MENA Climate Week (MENACW) in Riyadh. This event served as a precursor for nations, institutions, and entities to prepare for the upcoming United Nations Convention on Climate Change Conference (COP28). Slated to be held in Expo City Dubai from November 30 to December 12, COP28 will be hosted by the UAE.

With the theme, "Promoting Inclusivity and Circularity for Equitable Energy Transitions," MENACW 2023 delved into three core areas: transformation, inclusion, and solutions. The agenda covered:

MENACW spotlighted regional innovations and approaches, fostering enhanced cooperation across various sectors and borders. Stakeholders recognized the Riyadh meeting as a pivotal collaboration leading up to COP28.

The summit, gathering policymakers, businesses, young activists, and other vital players from the sustainability realm, occurred at a crucial juncture. Numerous countries are now recognizing the escalating threats of global temperatures, committing to curbing global warming to 1.5°C between 2030 and 2050. Discussions in Riyadh revolved around challenges and avenues for climate initiatives in the MENA region, which will be vital for the global climate assessment and furthering the Paris Agreement's objectives.

COP28's impending global evaluation presents a chance to appraise international climate efforts and redefine our strategies.

HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister, stressed the importance of addressing climate change intricacies and insights during MENACW, which will be integral for COP28's evaluation, as per a statement from the Saudi Ministry of Energy. "COP28 in Dubai must be a landmark summit," he stated.

UAE's Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Suhail Al Mazrouei, highlighted the need to innovate for a sustainable energy future. Similarly, Sameh Shoukry, Egypt's Foreign Affairs Minister and COP 27 President emphasized developing countries' pivotal role in climate negotiations and the necessity of balancing responsibilities.

Arab nations' climate ministers extended their support for COP28, lauding its main objectives, which include expediting energy transitions, refining climate finance, prioritizing human-centric approaches, and promoting inclusivity.

Key announcements during MENACW 2023 involved Saudi Arabia's Greenhouse Gas Strategy, a plan for the Saudi Green Initiative's 10 Billion Tree Goal, and the Empowering Africa initiative, an expansion of the Clean Fuel Solutions for Cooking program.

Recording its highest participation, MENACW 2023 saw over 9000 attendees across 240 sessions. In its inaugural event in 2022 in Dubai, MENACW brought together 3000 participants from 135 countries, reinforcing regional efforts towards global climate goals and the enhancement of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Long Term-Low Emission Development Strategies (LT-LEDS).