Today's Edition
AHMED ATEF (CAIRO) - Ghiwa Nakat, Executive Director of Greenpeace for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, confirmed the organisation is working in collaboration with Abu Dhabi University during the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) on a competition to explore the transformative prospects for the energy sector and other economic sectors.
In an interview with Aletihad, Nakat explained that the organisation is organising an exhibition of the alternative future, which uses artificial intelligence and imagery to display the youth’s vision of the UAE’s evolving role as a leader in renewable energy and biodiversity conservation, and the transition to a green economy.
Greenpeace will also participate in the Ummah for Earth alliance, hosting six side events at a pavilion focused on Islamic climate finance, water scarcity in the MENA region, fossil fuels, and free places of worship.
COP28 is held at a pivotal turning point for climate action, as the world faces record high temperatures, unprecedented wildfires, floods, storms, and devastating droughts impacting communities, lives, livelihoods, and the environment, Nakat said, adding that therefore, Greenpeace MENA will be represented by climate experts, activists, and those directly affected by the climate crisis during the conference to ensure that the voices of the impacted are heard by policymakers.
She told Aletihad that the organisation is participating with a delegation of young climate champions at COP28, including representatives from some of the most affected communities in the region, like Iraq, Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan, and Lebanon.
A Historic Conference
Nakat noted that COP28 is one of the most important Conferences of the Parties so far, and will be recorded as the most successful ever if an agreement is reached regarding a fair and equitable energy transition. Over 500 CEOs and civil society members have been invited to consider accelerating the energy transformation and corporate financing reform to support a more sustainable future.
The Executive Director said that she looks forward to the conference being a race to include the voices of climate-exposed youth in the decision-making process. She also pointed out that it is important for world leaders to understand the urgency of agreeing on a fair and gradual phase-out of fossil fuels.
Greenpeace MENA agrees with the COP28 Presidency that reducing fossil fuel is a necessary and unavoidable measure. The shared ambition of this COP summit should go further to include a fair (not just a reduction) phase-out of fossil fuel use.
She noted that this poses challenges, especially for countries whose economies rely heavily on oil and gas production, yet “we must bravely accept the challenge of making the transition to fossil fuel-free energy systems fair”. Nakat expressed the organisation’s interest in ensuring that the global assessment includes countries and commits them to measurable actions, especially in reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
“At COP28, leaders must chart a path to accelerate climate action, close gaps to achieve 2030 goals, and act urgently to keep the 1.5-degree Celsius warming limit within reach,” she said. In this regard, she welcomed the UAE’s solid commitment to climate financing on the COP28 agenda, emphasising that a fully functioning Loss and Damage Fund meeting the needs of people on the frontlines of the climate crisis would hold these historical emitters, whether countries or companies, responsible for their environmental impact.
The UAE has already announced its staggering $4.5 billion fund for clean energy initiatives in Africa and its $54 billion investment plan to triple renewable energy by 2030. Nakat called for the need to listen to the voices of indigenous people, women, youth, and marginalised communities, stating: “It’s equally important to remain vigilant against the undue influence of the fossil fuel industry, recognising it as the root cause of the climate crisis. When balancing corporate profits and the needs of ordinary people, we must remember the real suffering many endure in their daily struggle for survival, with each day without real change amounting to a death sentence for these communities.”
The Executive Director expressed her hope that the results of COP28 be translated into concrete actions and commitments, ambitious, but also fair and equitable, as climate change represents a global challenge that requires cooperation from all regions, including the MENA region. “Everyone is in a race against time in our battle against the climate crisis.
The clock is ticking, and the crisis is escalating at an alarming rate. World leaders must show their ability to move faster, as the solutions are ready, and there is no reason for governments to not solve this crisis now,” she concluded.
