WAEL BADRAN (ABU DHABI)

HRH Princess Lamia bint Majid Al Saud, the UN-Habitat Goodwill Ambassador for the Arab region and the Secretary-General of Alwaleed Philanthropies, affirmed that the COP28 conference marked a significant shift in global efforts to address climate change’s repercussions.

In an interview with Aletihad, she underscored the necessity of collective participation for sustainability, a realisation vividly apparent at COP28, where leaders, experts, and environmental advocates convened under a shared, ambitious goal, striving for substantial change.

Princess Lamia bint Majid highlighted that hosting COP28 in Dubai opened avenues for identifying and implementing solutions to expedite climate transformation for humanity and the planet.

She said: “At COP28, we witnessed a pivotal shift in global efforts to combat climate change. It was the first time we had seen topics such as the climate-health nexus, or green skills, take centre stage in this way.”

She also emphasised the critical crossroads humanity faces in responding to the escalating global climate crisis.

During COP28, the spotlight was on the imperative of cooperation for sustainable development, not as a choice but as the sole means to tackle pressing global challenges. Princess Lamia bint Majid pointed out the year’s devastating climate change impacts, highlighting the interconnections with human health, gender equality, and prosperity.

COP28 provided a platform for world leaders to deeply engage with these intersections, showcasing climate change as more than an environmental issue. The importance of collective action to address climate change and its wider social and economic implications, particularly as these crises intensify, was a key focus.

“As UN-Habitat Goodwill Ambassador, my role is to build bridges between relevant actors to spearhead sustainable change. This means convening governments, NGOs, and communities under a collective goal towards achieving greener and more inclusive urban growth,” she said.

Princess Lamia bint Majid also expressed concern over the slowing progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, emphasising the critical role of forums like COP28 in introducing new ideas, innovations, and expertise across various development sectors.

As Secretary-General of Alwaleed Philanthropies, her participation spanned discussions from gender equality to fostering environmentally friendly skills. She reiterated the organisation’s commitment to inspiring and empowering future generations to take bold actions against climate change for a more inclusive and sustainable future.

At the heart of Alwaleed Philanthropies’ mission, she explained, lies the goal of empowering the world to achieve equal opportunities.

She emphasised the importance of trusting partners, especially local NGOs, for their insights into the local context.

Highlighting several partnerships and numerous projects, Princess Lamia stated: “Whether you are an impact investor, entrepreneur, fellow non-profit or philanthropist, you must embrace your partners’ expertise.”

She noted that climate change, a crisis without borders, demonstrates the interconnectedness of our world and the potential global impact of regional climate issues.

She stressed the importance of not avoiding responsibility in ensuring a sustainable future for current and future generations, adding: “We have seen how issues at the scale of climate change, can lead people to doubt their ability to drive change – which couldn’t be further from the truth.”

Inclusivity, she concluded, extends beyond governmental initiatives and policies. It involves listening to future generations to understand their challenges and offer specific solutions. This approach focuses on developing skills essential for accelerating sustainable solutions, a topic she actively discussed in sessions at COP28.