• World
    • Africa
    • Asia Pacific
    • Central & South Asia
    • Europe
    • Latin America & Caribbean
    • Middle East & North Africa
    • North America
  • Coronavirus
  • Politics
    • US Election
    • US politics
    • Joe Biden
    • Brexit
    • European Union
    • India
    • Arab world
  • Economics
    • Finance
    • Eurozone
    • International Trade
  • Business
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Startups
    • Technology
  • Culture
    • Entertainment
    • Music
    • Film
    • Books
    • Travel
  • Environment
    • Climate change
    • Smart cities
    • Green Economy
  • Global Change
    • Education
    • Refugee Crisis
    • International Aid
    • Human Rights
  • International Security
    • ISIS
    • War on Terror
    • North Korea
    • Nuclear Weapons
  • Science
    • Health
  • 360 °
  • The Interview
  • In-Depth
  • Insight
  • Quick Read
  • Video
  • Podcasts
  • Interactive
  • My Voice
  • About
  • FO Store
Sections
  • World
  • Coronavirus
  • Politics
  • Economics
  • Business
  • Culture
  • Sign Up
  • Login
  • Publish

Make Sense of the world

Unique insight from 2,000+ contributors in 80+ Countries

Close

Arab Unity Over Climate Change Presents an Opportunity

By Ali Mohamed Ahmed • Dec 05, 2015
Yemen

© Shutterstock

Instead of being at odds, COP21 gives the Arab world a chance to show a united front to combat climate change.

Many heads of state are not present at the 21st session of the Conference of Parties (COP21) in Paris. Despite being a global event to address the key universal issue of our time—climate change—many were cautious to attend due to security concerns following the terrorist attacks of November 13, while others may not have been interested. Whatever the case, world leaders must be united at the Paris summit since climate change is a threat to all of humankind.

For the Arab leaders who have attended, it is safe to say that they are seeking regional solidarity in reaching an agreement that has long been waited for. Representatives of Morocco’s King Mohammed VI emphasized this importance by saying: “The Paris conference will be instrumental in shaping the future which we are duty-bound to bequeath to our children … We must preserve this planet’s heritage for our children.”

Yemen, as the Arab world’s poorest nation, has been hit hard by climate change. Vice President Khaled Bahah shared his country’s concern when he said: “We witnessed a catastrophe a few days before convening this summit. Within a one-week period, two tropical cyclones struck Yemen’s Socotra Island, causing devastating environmental impact and human casualties.”

With water scarcity in Yemen, the country nested in the corner of the Arabian Peninsula needs aid and protection. And with yet another conflict, this time with Houthi rebels, climate change could exacerbate the growing refugee crisis.

On the other side of the Middle East and North Africa, Mauritania doesn’t have the luxury of receiving much aid from regional nations, despite being a member of the Arab League. “Mauritania faces desertification, erosion of its coasts and the rise of oceans, and all of this constitutes an enormous environmental challenge,” said President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.

Emphasizing the crucial need for reform, Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh stated: “It is certain that if nothing is done … in East Africa and the Middle East it will be impossible for humans to survive.”

Aside from rising temperatures in the Gulf, Guelleh’s warning can easily be tied to food security as a future challenge, which will likely increase the frequency of conflicts around the world.

Ending Conflicts?

The most promising news to come out of Arab states at COP21 is that Iraqi President Fuad Musam reiterated the need of seeking technological support for climate change mitigation and green technology transfer, including ecosystem restoration. It is refreshing because Iraq clearly looks forward to inviting the international community to play a role in rebuilding the country, despite the insecurity it faces amid regional turmoil.

This is why it is important to highlight that climate change is an opportunity to promote peace in the Middle East.

As the headliner from the Arab world, King Abdullah II of Jordan indicated that climate change is an opportunity for youth as they constitute 70% of the country’s population. He also called for an increase in aid to Syrian refugees upon the adoption of serious climate action.

King Abdullah also mentioned that Jordan has opened the largest wind farm in the Arab world, which might encourage other Arab countries to seek alternative forms of energy.

Arab states have the chance to emerge as a powerful group for next year at COP22 in Morocco. However, member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) must follow the United Arab Emirates’ lead in terms of having ambition when it comes to long-term goals—particularly Saudi Arabia.

COP21 is an important moment for Arab states as they often have disagreements. The Paris conference is an opportunity to be united through collaborative action for a better world. With the common goal of combating climate change, a lasting agreement could prevent future conflicts over land and natural resources.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Fair Observer’s editorial policy.

Photo Credit: Oleg Znamenskiy / Shutterstock.com


Fair Observer - World News, Politics, Economics, Business and CultureWe bring you perspectives from around the world. Help us to inform and educate. Your donation is tax-deductible. Join over 400 people to become a donor or you could choose to be a sponsor.

Share Story
Categories360° Analysis, Blog, Environment, Global Change, Middle East & North Africa Tagsclimate change, COP21, Earth to Paris
Join our network of more than 2,000 contributors to publish your perspective, share your story and shape the global conversation. Become a Fair Observer and help us make sense of the world.

READ MORE IN THIS 360° SERIES

Donald Trump and the Paris Climate Agreement
By Henrik Selin & Adil Najam • Nov 23, 2016
No Climate Justice Without Gender Justice
By Renee Juliene Karunungan • Nov 18, 2016
Investing in the Fight Against Climate Change
By Vasundhara Saravade • Nov 08, 2016
Implementing Climate Change Policies
By Sohara Mehroze Shachi • Mar 18, 2016
Estonian Involvement Can Decide Success of Energy Transition
By Sören Tiitsmann • Mar 02, 2016
US Trade Policy Clouds Climate Prospects
By Veena Trehan • Mar 01, 2016
Climate Change and the Distrust of Authority
By Arek Sinanian • Feb 22, 2016
The Rejection of Climate Change
By Arek Sinanian • Jan 24, 2016
The Paris Climate Deal and What It Means for ASEAN
By Jed Alegado • Dec 17, 2015
Climate Deal Will Only Stick If It’s Just
By Atul Singh • Dec 15, 2015
Polar Bear and the Poor Miss Out in Paris
By Chitra Subramaniam • Dec 14, 2015
Why Do Some People Reject Climate Change?
By Arek Sinanian • Dec 14, 2015
Indigenous Women: Respect Our Knowledge and Tradition
By Renee Juliene Karunungan • Dec 13, 2015
We Must Fight Climate Change to Win the War on Terror
By Vasundhara Saravade • Dec 12, 2015
Citizens Can Play Active Role in Urban Biodiversity
By Pari Trivedi • Dec 11, 2015
Corporate Sponsors of Climate Conference Raise Eyebrows
By Anton Jaekel • Dec 11, 2015
/nas/wp/www/sites/fairobserver/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Climate-change2.jpg
Climate Talks Show Lack of Female Representation
By Riddhima Yadav • Dec 10, 2015
City Nature is a Gateway for Climate Activism
By Charlotte Flechet • Dec 10, 2015
A Love Letter From #EarthToParis… Narrated by Morgan Freeman
By Fair Observer • Dec 08, 2015
/nas/wp/www/sites/fairobserver/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Climate-Change1.jpg
How COP21 Will Impact on the SDGs
By David Hulme • Dec 05, 2015
Youth Are Finding Solutions to Climate Change
By Renee Juliene Karunungan • Dec 04, 2015
Climate Change: A Clear and Present Danger
By Atul Singh • Dec 02, 2015
Empowering Women is Part of the Climate Solution
By Renee Juliene Karunungan • Dec 02, 2015
‪#EarthToParis: This is NOT About Jack Black‬
By Fair Observer • Nov 30, 2015
What Do Past Patterns of Climate Change Tell Us?
By Origins: Current Events in Historical Perspective • Nov 30, 2015
Sustainable Development is a Lie
By Derrick Jensen • Nov 19, 2015
/nas/wp/www/sites/fairobserver/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Climate-Change.jpg
Climate Change is No Laughing Matter
By Fair Observer • Nov 09, 2015
African Women Innovate to Battle Climate Change
By Fair Observer • Oct 14, 2015

Post navigation

Previous PostPrevious Cuba is Frozen in Time, But That’s About to Change
Next PostNext Is Putin Really as Foolish as We Are?
Subscribe
Register for $9.99 per month and become a member today.
Publish
Join our community of more than 2,500 contributors to publish your perspective, share your narrative and shape the global discourse.
Donate
We bring you perspectives from around the world. Help us to inform and educate. Your donation is tax-deductible.

Explore

  • About
  • Authors
  • FO Store
  • FAQs
  • Republish
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact

Regions

  • Africa
  • Asia Pacific
  • Central & South Asia
  • Europe
  • Latin America & Caribbean
  • Middle East & North Africa
  • North America

Topics

  • Politics
  • Economics
  • Business
  • Culture
  • Environment
  • Global Change
  • International Security
  • Science

Sections

  • 360°
  • The Interview
  • In-Depth
  • Insight
  • Quick Read
  • Video
  • Podcasts
  • Interactive
  • My Voice

Daily Dispatch


© Fair Observer All rights reserved
We Need Your Consent
We use cookies to give you the best possible experience. Learn more about how we use cookies or edit your cookie preferences. Privacy Policy. My Options I Accept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Edit Cookie Preferences

The Fair Observer website uses digital cookies so it can collect statistics on how many visitors come to the site, what content is viewed and for how long, and the general location of the computer network of the visitor. These statistics are collected and processed using the Google Analytics service. Fair Observer uses these aggregate statistics from website visits to help improve the content of the website and to provide regular reports to our current and future donors and funding organizations. The type of digital cookie information collected during your visit and any derived data cannot be used or combined with other information to personally identify you. Fair Observer does not use personal data collected from its website for advertising purposes or to market to you.

As a convenience to you, Fair Observer provides buttons that link to popular social media sites, called social sharing buttons, to help you share Fair Observer content and your comments and opinions about it on these social media sites. These social sharing buttons are provided by and are part of these social media sites. They may collect and use personal data as described in their respective policies. Fair Observer does not receive personal data from your use of these social sharing buttons. It is not necessary that you use these buttons to read Fair Observer content or to share on social media.

 
Necessary
Always Enabled

These cookies essential for the website to function.

Analytics

These cookies track our website’s performance and also help us to continuously improve the experience we provide to you.

Performance
Uncategorized

This cookie consists of the word “yes” to enable us to remember your acceptance of the site cookie notification, and prevents it from displaying to you in future.

Preferences
Save & Accept