ShareNEW YORK: The State of Kuwait reaffirmed support to the UN-led efforts to address the climate crisis which "a clear and direct adverse impact on international peace and security”. In his address to the UN Security Council Open Debate on Climate and Security, Counsellor Faisal Al-Enezi, Kuwait's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, highlighted the linkage between regional stability and climate. "Since the beginning of the 1970s, the world has witnessed more than 11,000 climate crises, mostly in countries that are underdeveloped economically or infrastructure-wise.
This has claimed the lives of millions, injured tens of millions and displaced countless," he recalled. Detailing numerous infrastructure projects implemented by the Kuwaiti government, Enezi said, "The processes of oil extraction in Kuwait are the lowest-carbon emitting processes in the world." He reiterated Kuwait's commitment to ensuring carbon neutrality in the energy sector by 2050 and in all sectors by 2060. Dealing with the political and security challenges in the Middle East and the water scarcity in the Arab region, he urged scaling up cooperation and the countries of the region and support from the international community to address these challenges.
Helping countries adapt Noting the direct and indirect impact of climate change on small island developing States, he said that their economic development slows down and they sustain major development losses. "Climate events have impeded the development of countries around the world, including unprecedented cyclones in South-East Asia and South-East Africa. “In recent history, Europe has experienced destructive floods and drought has affected the livelihood of people in the Horn of Africa," Enezi pointed out.
Stressing the need to ensure adaptation to help countries in need alleviate the impact of climate change, he spotlighted regional initiatives, especially the Middle East Green Initiative launched by Saudi Arabia. He cited a recent report by the UN Environment Program (UNEP) as saying that 13 out of the world's 19 countries most-vulnerable to water insecurity are located in the Arab region. Since 2018, the Climate Security Mechanism - a joint initiative between the UNEP and the UN Development Program (UNDP), has provided multidisciplinary support to member states, regional organizations and UN entities to better understand the linkages between climate, peace and security. – KUNA
