HE the Minister of Municipality and Environment Mohamed bin Abdullah al-Rumaihi has highlighted the measures adopted by Qatar to face the challenges posed by the phenomenon of climate change.
Addressing the 23rd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 23) to the UN Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which concluded in Bonn on Friday night, the minister highlighted Qatar National Vision 2030, announced by His Highness the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, which emphasises that environmental development and economic development are fundamental objectives that cannot be sacrificed at the expense of each other.
In this regard, he noted that Qatar has completed projects for recycling and utilisation of household waste and waste generated by the construction sector and industry, 100% sewage treatment, rationalising energy consumption, solar energy, reducing flame gas, introducing modern techniques at natural gas power plants, and stopping burning of oil and fossil material.
In October, Qatar signed the establishment of the Global Dryland Alliance, which started as an initiative of the State, the minister said, indicating that its main objective is to maintain food security.
Minister al-Rumaihi praised Qatar's important role in the negotiations process that contributed to reaching the Paris Agreement. Doha hosted the COP18 in 2012 and welcomed the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macaron to the summit meeting on 12/12/2017.
Minister al-Rumaihi said that challenges and risks facing the world due to climate change are among the most serious, given their economic, environmental and social dimensions, and their repercussions particularly in the developing countries.
The minister stressed that there is still a lot of work that needs to be done by States parties to achieve the objectives and principles of the UN Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Minister al-Rumaihi highlighted the collective desire of the participants to make tangible progress in meeting the pre-2020 commitments by providing the necessary support to developing countries in capacity building, financing, development and transfer of technology. He also stressed that everyone believes that adaptation is the key to achieving sustainable development, as it automatically reduces emissions of greenhouse gases.
He added that adherence to the principles of equity, shared responsibility but differing burdens and the provision of support from developed countries to developing countries in a transparent and balanced manner, is the best way towards safety.
HE the Minister expressed his deep gratitude to the government of Fiji for its efforts in organising the conference, thanked Germany for its efforts in convening the conference, and congratulated Morocco on its success in organising its previous session.
HE al-Rumaihi led Qatar's delegation to the conference which discussed several issues related to climate change, the most important of which are how to implement the Paris Agreement, issues related to the mitigation of emissions and adaptation to the effects of climate change and on financing, technology development and transfer and capacity building.
