A Focus on Climate Solutions
The 2023 Middle East and North Africa Climate Change Summit kicks off this week, with proposed climate solutions being discussed in preparation for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), which will be held next December in the United Arab Emirates.
The Government of Saudi Arabia will host the MENA Climate Week Summit 2023 in Riyadh from 8 to 12 October 2023. It will provide the first assessment of global stocktake, which will conclude at COP 28 in the United Arab Emirates in December. This year is a unique opportunity to call for decisive and comprehensive change and urgently respond to the need to accelerate progress in all areas of the Paris Agreement.
Global Stocktake
The global stocktake assessment represents a critical turning point when it comes to efforts to address climate change. It is a moment to take a long, hard look at the state of our planet and chart a better course for the future. Decision 19/CP.1 indicates that the global assessment process “will be a Party-led process conducted in a transparent manner and with the participation of non-Party stakeholders” (para. 10). It enables countries and other stakeholders to see where they can achieve. We are making collective progress towards achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement. Where this does not happen, it is like taking stock. It means looking at where the world stands on climate action and support, identifying gaps, and working together to agree solution pathways (to 2030 and beyond).
Climate Week Summit in MENA
The MENA Climate Week Summit 2023 and all regional Climate Weeks will provide a platform for policy makers, practitioners, businesses and civil society to share climate solutions, barriers to be overcome and opportunities achieved in different regions.
The summit will cover four main tracks, based on the targeted systems. With the aim of providing region-focused contributions to inform the global assessment process. The paths will include the following:
- Energy and industrial systems
- Cities, urban and rural settlements, infrastructure and transport
- Land, oceans, food and water
- Communities, health, livelihoods and economies
