Muscat: Yesterday, the Environment Authority convened a media briefing to disclose the specifics of Oman's involvement in the forthcoming 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), slated for November.
Oman's engagement is designed to underscore the nation's commitment to climate action, environmental preservation, biodiversity enhancement, sustainable tourism, and investment attraction.
Ibrahim Ahmed Al Ajmi, Advisor to the Chairman of the Environment Authority for Climate Affairs and the Head of the Negotiating Team in the United Nations Climate Change Agreement Negotiations, stated: "The Sultanate of Oman's participation in COP 29 is a demonstration of solidarity with the global community and a unified effort to achieve the objectives of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, thereby bolstering climate action and sustainable development strategies."
He elaborated that the participation will encompass seven primary themes: carbon neutrality, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, climate change adaptation projects and initiatives, food security, promotion of Oman Climate Week, the Global Environmental Performance Index, environmental conservation and nature reserves, biodiversity, energy transformation projects and initiatives such as renewable energy, green hydrogen, energy efficiency, and carbon sequestration, tree planting initiatives, blue carbon, and sustainable urban development.
Al Ajmi further emphasized that the Sultanate of Oman's primary negotiating priorities will focus on the objectives of global climate finance, Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, the global goal of adaptation, the national adaptation plan, loss and damage, just transition and response measures, enhancing capacity building and technology transfer.
In response, Eng. Mohammed Khalfan Al Shuaili, Deputy Head of the Sultanate of Oman Pavilion team participating in the conference, highlighted that Oman's participation will serve to highlight and consolidate the nation's efforts in climate action, energy transformation, environmental protection, and biodiversity, while also promoting sustainable tourism and economic growth across various regions of Oman, and attracting investment opportunities and sustainable financing in sectors such as hydrogen and clean energy, biodiversity, and sustainable transportation.
He elucidated that the work plan for participation encompasses the organization of several preparatory and coordination meetings among the relevant institutions. The objective is to develop a cohesive plan and to monitor the outcomes, sources of information, schedules of participation, methods of presentation, discussion formats, the composition of the participating team, the negotiating team, and the allocation of tasks.
Concurrently, Hafez Al Shakiri, a representative of the youth team participating in the conference, stated: "The Sultanate of Oman is set to participate for the inaugural time with a youth team at the COP29 Climate Summit. The responsibilities assigned to the Sultanate include the formulation of a strategy to underscore the involvement and empowerment of Omani youth in climate change matters, the representation of Omani youth in dialogue sessions, the examination of challenges and their solutions in the context of climate change, the acquisition of new insights from the experiences of other nations, the exchange of ideas and best practices, the presentation of projects and initiatives by Omani youth focused on sustainability and environmental conservation, and the organization of workshops and discussion sessions for youth, inviting participants from various countries to enhance awareness regarding climate issues."
During the media briefing, Engineer Nabil Al Lawati, a member of the negotiating team, delivered a visual presentation outlining the topics that will be discussed during the negotiating sessions.
Furthermore, the Environment Authority unveiled the theme and logo of the pavilion, which symbolizes the Sultanate of Oman as a beacon for a sustainable future.
It is important to highlight that the journey to COP29, which is dedicated to finalizing a new agreement on global financing, builds upon the efforts of COP28, which took place in the United Arab Emirates. During this summit, the inaugural global inventory of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change was conducted, and COP27, held in the Arab Republic of Egypt, approved the Loss and Damage Fund, among other significant outcomes, including the resolutions of the Bonn Conference (SB60), which facilitated preparations for the forthcoming COP conference.
