“A healthy planet for the prosperity of all – our responsibility, our opportunity,” was the theme of the UN Stockholm 50+ high-level meeting that convened in the Swedish capital on June 2-3 to promote support to the countries hardest hit by climate change and loss of biodiversity. As such, the Stockholm event acquired direct relevance to preparations now under way to convene the world climate summit in Sharm el-Sheikh in November this year. By bringing together some 30 donor and developing countries, the UN and leading representatives of central organisations and funds, including the World Bank, the Green Climate Fund and UNDP, the Stockholm 50+ has sought to crystalise a common approach to combined action on the two associated arenas of climate change and biodiversity. The meeting’s recommendations, as contained in the concluding statement, reflected common resolve to urgently accelerate the implementation of commitments for a healthy planet for the prosperity of all – an attitude of considerable relevance to the forthcoming world climate summit that Egypt will host later this year. Of particular significance was the emphasis that the meeting placed on the link between international action on climate change and biodiversity on the one hand and the delivery of sustainable development on the other hand, reaffirming in this context the importance of local realities and national implementation, and the need for a combination of incentives and policies, finance and capacity support to achieve sustainable development.
Such an understanding factors well in enabling the developing countries to proceed effectively and systematically with climate adaptation programmes and ultimately contribute to the green transition on a global scale. Highlighting the efforts made by COP27 summit host Egypt to consolidate green transition, Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad referred in a statement she delivered at the Stockholm 50+ meeting that the country has reflected manifest keenness on engaging all partners especially including the private sector in green transition projects envisaging the maximisation of the share of such projects in the overall national projects by the advent of the year 2030. A highly significant component of these efforts, Minister Fouad noted in her statement, has been the issuance of green bonds, the first such step in the Middle East and North Africa region. Also included in Egypt’s efforts to promote green transition, she added, has been the promulgation of the country’s first law to regulate the management of all wastes – a move that aims enhance the transition to a recyclable economy.
As a matter of fact, the wider the prospects of effectuating workable adaptation programmes, the richer will international dialogue on climate change requirements get. And combining efforts in the twin directions of addressing climate change consequences and protecting biodiversity represents a commendable approach to serves the shared goal of building a healthier plant for all.
