JEDDAH: The 35th session of the Council of Arab Ministers Responsible for Environmental Affairs kicked off Thursday in Jeddah, co-organized by the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture and the Arab League and attended by Acting Director General of Kuwait Environment Public Authority Eng Samira Al-Kandari.

In his opening speech, head of Omani Environment Authority, Dr Abdullah Al-Amri, praised Arab countries’ efforts in various environmental fields and international forums, expressing gratitude to the Kingdom for hosting the meeting and to the Arab League and its efforts in promoting joint Arab environmental action. Al-Amri expressed support for the Kingdom’s efforts in hosting the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (COP16) in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, scheduled to be held next December.

He also stressed support for the efforts and initiatives of Arab countries in combating all forms of environmental pollution, which reflects regional and Arab environmental efforts in international forums. In his speech, Saudi Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture and Chairman of the current session Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli said that the Kingdom adopts a comprehensive vision for environmental systems in accordance with its Saudi Vision 2030.

Al-Fadhli pointed to Saudi Arabia’s launch of national, regional, and international initiatives, most notably the “Green Saudi Arabia” and “Green Middle East” initiatives, in addition to the global initiative to reduce land degradation and preserve terrestrial habitats. For her part, Samira Al-Kandari said that the meeting comes in light of important international environmental developments that have imposed themselves on local and international levels, which confirms the importance of strengthening joint Arab action in the fields of environmental conservation.

She pointed to the importance of adopting green policies that support the shift towards renewable energy and adaptation to climate change, adopting strategies to reduce carbon emissions, in addition to managing natural resources efficiently and enhancing the circular economy to reduce land degradation and combat desertification. She expressed her hope for unifying the Arab position in supporting the United Nations Environment Assembly Resolution No. 514 to end plastic pollution and enhance efforts to achieve sustainable development goals and a circular economy.

Al-Kandari referred to Kuwait’s low-carbon strategy, which aims to achieve carbon neutrality in the oil and gas sector by 2050, and to the National Strategy for Integrated Waste Management in Kuwait 2040, stressing support for the (Green Middle East) initiative. Kuwaiti delegation participating include the Director of the Department of Rehabilitation and Follow-up of Environmental Activities Eng Shaima Al-Fadhel and from the International Relations Department at the Public Environment Authority Talal Al-Ali and Mustafa Al-Zuhair. The delegation also included the Charge d’Affaires at the Consulate General of Kuwait in Jeddah, Minister Plenipotentiary Nasser Al-Khaldi, along with Counselor Turki Al-Daihani. — KUNA