Mariam Al Mehiri Urges World Nations to Seize COP28 Conference for Climate Action and Nature-Based Solutions
Her Excellency Mariam bint Mohammed Al Mehiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment and responsible for the food systems file at the COP28 conference, called on nations around the world to seize the significant opportunities presented by the upcoming COP28 conference in the United Arab Emirates this November. She urged them to leverage these opportunities to advance climate action, with a particular focus on transitioning food systems towards sustainability and enhancing nature-based solutions.
This call came during her high-level meetings held recently on the sidelines of her participation in the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, USA.
Minister Al Mehiri emphasized the importance of collective action in creating more sustainable food systems, highlighting the UAE's commitment to food and agriculture on the COP28 agenda.
She noted the UAE's support for the "Qurum Development" initiative and announced the ministerial meeting for Qurum trees, which will be hosted during the COP28 conference on "Nature and Oceans Day and Land Use" to drive discussions forward and broaden the horizons of nature-based solutions. During her participation in a ministerial panel discussion on food systems organized by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), she emphasized the significance of COP28's agenda for food systems and agriculture, which focuses on four main areas: national actions, engagement of non-governmental actors, innovation expansion, and financing.
She called on all nations to demonstrate national leadership by signing the first-ever UAE declaration on food systems, agriculture, and climate action. She stated that the UAE's goal is to increase collective efforts to transform food systems into sustainable ones.
She confirmed that the UAE had sent a draft of the UAE declaration to all agriculture ministers for their input by September 27.
During her participation in the high-level event titled "Nature and People: From Ambition to Action," Her Excellency reiterated the UAE's commitment to nature-based solutions and their role in building climate resilience.
She said, "As part of COP28's action plan, we will mobilize support for taking strong actions to drive climate and nature's agenda, showcasing practical and innovative solutions for protecting critical ecological systems like forests, Qurum trees, wetlands, and coral reefs, sustainably managing them."
Minister Al Mehiri endorsed the significant achievement represented by the "Qurum Development" initiative, stating, "This collaborative effort between the Global Qurum Tree Alliance and United Nations climate change champions, with the support of non-governmental organizations and governments worldwide, aims to restore and protect 15 million hectares of Qurum trees globally by 2030."
She emphasized that such ambitious and nature-based projects can help the global community get back on track to achieve the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement.
She urged all nations to support the "Qurum Development" initiative and actively participate in the "Climate Qurum Alliance" initiative. She pointed out that this initiative, a partnership between the UAE and Indonesia, has attracted 20 partners to expand and accelerate the preservation of ecological systems of Qurum trees worldwide for the benefit of communities worldwide.
During her participation in the "Food +: Foreign Policy Forum," alongside U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack, Her Excellency Mariam Al Mehiri stressed the need for collective innovation, global financing, and joint efforts to combat hunger and establish sustainable and equitable food systems.
She called on nations to join the "Agricultural Innovation for Climate Initiative," led by the United Arab Emirates and the United States. She highlighted the initiative's launch in 2021, with the goal of doubling investment in climate-smart agriculture and globally supporting the innovation of sustainable food systems.
The initiative currently includes over 500 international partners, with investments amounting to 13 billion dollars to support climate-smart agricultural projects and sustainable food system innovations.
She explained that the UAE believes that one of the most potent contributions that COP28 can make is to ensure fair climate financing for developing countries, stating, "This, in turn, can greatly enhance our food systems."
She emphasized that placing this goal among national priorities can make a substantial and immediate difference in the lives of hundreds of millions of people. She added that this is what the COP28 presidency intends to highlight in the conference, just two months away, making a significant positive shift in our food systems.
Over the course of a week, Her Excellency Mariam Al Mehiri participated in a series of successful meetings and bilateral engagements in New York City, including meetings with Belgium's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice and the North Sea Vincent Van Quickenborne, Germany's Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development Svenja Schulze, Germany's Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety, and Consumer Protection Steffi Lemke, and Israel's Minister of Environmental Protection Tamar Zandberg.
These bilateral meetings were pivotal and served to enhance collaboration for climate action, acknowledging the shared commitment to address climate change directly. These engagements embodied the United Arab Emirates' commitment to a sustainable future, where innovation, cooperation, and ambition pave the way for global action to achieve sustainability on the world stage.