Latest news with #UnitedNationsClimateChangeConference
Al-Ahram Weekly
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt at the helm of the UNCCD - Egypt - Al-Ahram Weekly
Yasmine Fouad has resigned as minister of environment to become executive secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli accepted the resignation of Yasmine Fouad from her post as minister of environment this week, assigning Manal Awad, minister of local development, to temporarily assume the duties, in addition to her current role, until a new minister is appointed. Fouad's resignation comes after UN Secretary-General António Guterres selected her in May as the new executive secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). The selection was made in consultation with the Bureau of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention. Fouad succeeds Ibrahim Thiaw of Mauritania. Of Fouad's appointment to the UN office, Madbouli had earlier said it reflects international confidence in Egyptian expertise and its capacity to contribute to efforts in tackling environmental challenges. Fouad has served as Egypt's minister of environment since 2018, and during her tenure a framework was established to encourage private-sector engagement and integrate environmental sustainability into national investment strategies. She has over 27 years of experience in environmental governance, global environmental issues, and international climate diplomacy. She has overseen plans for sustainable development, linking them to national priorities and global environmental challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation, and transboundary water governance. Internationally, Fouad chaired the 14th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP14) from 2018 to 2021. From 2021 to 2022, she served as ministerial coordinator and envoy for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP27), held in Sharm El-Sheikh in 2022, contributing to building consensus on the Global Biodiversity Framework through 2030. During the COP27, she promoted global initiatives on adaptation, food security, agriculture, and nature-based solutions. She also led the Presidential Global Initiative launched at the earlier COP14, which seeks to link the three Rio Conventions (UNFCCC, CBD, and UNCCD). She has participated in climate finance negotiations at five climate conferences, representing the interests of the developing countries and seeking the collaboration of the developed countries. At the regional level, Fouad participated in the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change in 2015 and in the African Ministers Conference on the Environment from 2015 to 2017. She helped in the technical preparation of the African Adaptation Initiative and the African Renewable Energy Initiative. She also co-chaired the Steering Committee of the Regional Flagship Programmes under the New Partnership for Africa's Development, which addresses sustainable land management, desertification, biodiversity, and ecosystem-based approaches to climate change adaptation. Fouad was a visiting scholar at Columbia University's Earth Institute in the US, where she contributed to the design of Egypt's Centre of Excellence for Climate Change Adaptation and participated in the development of policy papers on climate change in the Middle East and North Africa region. She holds a PhD in political science with a specialisation in Euro-Mediterranean Studies and a Master's degree in environmental science. Previous executive secretaries of the UNCCD include Hama Arba Diallo, a former foreign minister of Burkina Faso, Luc Gnacadja, a former minister of environment of Benin, and French-national Monique Barbut, former CEO of the Global Environment Facility. The UNCCD was established in 1994, with its permanent secretariat commencing operations in 1999. * A version of this article appears in print in the 24 July, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Business Times
15 hours ago
- Business
- Business Times
Energy and climate cooperation still key for China-EU ties
MUCH attention has focused on the chill in ties between Brussels and Beijing in recent years. However, ahead of the EU-China summit in Beijing on Thursday, there are still potential areas of deep bilateral cooperation. Perhaps the standout example is climate change which has been an issue helping to define bilateral ties in the 21st century. So much so, in fact, that the EU Emissions Trading System was very influential in China's design of its own carbon markets. Earlier this month, the two powers held their latest high-level summit on the environment and climate. On the 50th anniversary of bilateral ties, both are hoping to further promote the effective implementation of the 2015 Paris Agreement. With US President Donald Trump seeking US withdrawal from the Paris treaty, the importance of EU-China climate cooperation has only grown. This is particularly true given that all nations face a mid-September deadline to submit new 2035 climate targets to the UN. These submissions precede the United Nations Climate Change Conference – COP30 – in Brazil, which will set out country-specific greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets in the next decade. Earlier this year, the European Commission proposed a 2040 climate target of reducing net GHG emissions by 90 per cent, compared to 1990 levels. In response, Chinese Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang told European Commission Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition Teresa Ribera that Beijing will release a new national climate plan in autumn, potentially timed around September's UN deadlines. In 2024, the world surpassed 1.5 deg C of annual warming for the first time and is on a trajectory for 2.6 deg C by the end of the century, even under current emission reduction plans. Meeting the Paris Agreement's 2 deg C target – let alone the 1.5 deg C one – demands far more ambitious cuts. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 12.30 pm ESG Insights An exclusive weekly report on the latest environmental, social and governance issues. Sign Up Sign Up Yet, since the pandemic, there have been new complications in climate ties between Brussels and Beijing. For instance, China has criticised the EU for what it perceives as the protectionist slant of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, a European initiative aimed at addressing carbon leakage by imposing a price on carbon emissions for imported goods. The EU has rejected this narrative with Ribera saying that Brussels does not intend 'to go down a race towards low incomes, lower labour rights or lower environmental standards'. Correspondingly, the EU has urged Beijing to stop building new coal power plants. Increased approvals for such plants have added to worries that Beijing may backtrack on ambitions to peak GHG emissions at or before 2030, ahead of carbon neutrality by 2060. Another source of friction is the alleged dumping of Chinese-made electric vehicles in Europe. Ribera has said that 'there is this assumption that counting on cheap equipment could be good to boost the potential of new developments and new decarbonisation pathways in the European market that could be beneficial. And there may be truth on one side, but as you also know, it may be difficult in terms of how it could impact on the capacity to ensure a level playing field'. EU decision-makers such as Ribera appear to believe that encouragement, not condemnation, is the best way to secure climate cooperation from Beijing. The assumption is that, especially with Trump in office, Beijing needs to be at the table on climate issues rather than left off it. With China being the world's largest GHG emitter by far, any international climate action during this era would be much weakened without Beijing's involvement. Beyond this, however, many EU officials have long believed that Chinese policymakers fundamentally share Europe's vision for a prosperous, energy-secure future in a stable climate and recognise the need for bilateral collaboration. Indeed, China, too, is vulnerable to the threats of global warming, including intense heat waves and severe flooding. The heart of EU-Chinese cooperation on this agenda is the 2015 EU-China Joint Statement on Climate Change. Under this, both parties agreed to cooperate on developing a cost-effective low-carbon economy, including intensifying cooperation in domestic mitigation policies, carbon markets, low-carbon cities, greenhouse gas emissions from the aviation and maritime industries, and hydrofluorocarbons. Even amid the complexities of the climate crisis, both Chinese and EU policymakers still see that accelerating the transition to a low-carbon future holds vast, complementary opportunities. They believe that with the right vision and commitment, this potential can be realised, deepening a collaboration that is poised to grow. China's planned investment in the green economy could be a game-changer, a fact that the EU is increasingly recognising. For instance, China is already the world's biggest and fastest-growing producer of renewable energy. This investment is buttressed by Beijing's policy commitments on the climate, clean air and energy agendas. Chinese President Xi Jinping has set a strategic direction for the economy, with determination to deepen the transition of the country's development model towards a greater emphasis on services and innovation. Europe has clear strengths in clean technology that are valuable to China. As the latter continues its trajectory to potentially become the world's largest economy, there are substantial commercial opportunities for EU's leading science and technology firms. Crucially, this collaboration is not one-sided. China is already the world's largest investor in renewable energy, and it is possible that technology and expertise can flow in both directions. This two-way exchange can accelerate the growth of low-carbon industries, and align Europe more closely to the world's future largest economy. As a key architect of the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement, Europe must continue to lead the fight against climate change. This includes the growing need for the EU to accelerate its emissions cuts to meet its goals in coming years, such as the 2040 target of a 90 per cent reduction. Ultimately, despite a wider chill in ties, the EU and China still have much to gain from a deep partnership on the clean-energy transition. Now is thus the moment to double down on cooperation, and collectively chart the course for the 21st-century clean-energy economy. The writer is an associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics
Observer
2 days ago
- Politics
- Observer
Brazil's moment to lead on forest conservation
With greenhouse-gas emissions still rising globally and nature loss continuing apace, the Amazon rainforest is approaching a tipping point. To avert climate catastrophe, the world must make rapid and significant progress on protecting forests and building a sustainable, inclusive bioeconomy. And Brazil must lead the way, starting at this November's United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém. The Amazon represents one of the planet's most powerful defences against climate change. It is more than a carbon sink; it is a reservoir of biodiversity, a regulator of rainfall across South America, and a vital component of our planet's climate system. As the custodian of nearly 60 per cent of the Amazon, Brazil has not only a responsibility to be a good steward, but also an opportunity to demonstrate global leadership at a pivotal moment for people and the planet. Brazil seems to recognise this. The government's renewed commitment to forest protection, under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's administration, is reflected in a sharp decline in deforestation rates. But this is just the beginning. Brazil is also working to deliver the bold ideas, scalable finance, and robust partnerships that the global green transformation demands. Nature-based solutions — which simultaneously advance environmental imperatives and ensure sustainable economic growth — are central to this effort. Recognising that the preservation of existing nature produces the fastest, most cost-effective results, these solutions are typically based on three pillars: protect, restore, and manage. To protect forests, Brazil is advancing innovative approaches, both domestically and internationally. At home, the country is helping to pioneer a jurisdictional approach, which links carbon finance to state-level action to protect forests, as part of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change's framework for 'reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries' (REDD+). Brazil's jurisdictional REDD+ programmes reward regions for reducing deforestation, enhancing forest carbon stocks, and ensuring that benefits reach indigenous peoples and local communities. The state of Tocantins is a worthy example: its forest-protection programme, which aims to generate high-integrity carbon credits, has been shaped by inclusive public consultations and features strong governance. An initial issuance of jurisdictional REDD+ credits is expected early next year. At the international level, Brazil has proposed a $125 billion Tropical Forest Forever Facility, which would reward developing countries with historically low rates of deforestation and compensate them for upholding good stewardship. Unlike carbon markets, which focus on verified reductions in emissions, the TFFF would provide predictable, long-term payments to countries based on the number of hectares conserved. These two approaches are highly complementary. Jurisdictional programmes address the imperative of reducing deforestation now through performance-based finance, while the TFFF offers the steady, long-term support that is needed to sustain those gains. Together, they correct a critical market failure: the undervaluing of standing forests. Forest protection is not easy: it demands rigorous oversight, transparent benefit-sharing, and unwavering community engagement. But when done right, it can unlock significant climate finance, catalyse private-sector participation, and drive sustainable development. The Race to Belém initiative, of which I am CEO, aims to make the most of this potential by mobilising a huge amount of private-sector investment for forest protection in advance of COP30. But protection is only the first pillar. Brazil is also making strides in nature restoration and sustainable land management. It has set a number of ambitious goals, including restoring 12 million hectares of forested areas by 2030; converting 40 million hectares of degraded pastureland into productive systems for food, biofuels, and high-productivity forests over the next decade; and promoting a bioeconomy that respects nature and people. The Brazil Restoration and Bioeconomy Finance Coalition, which seeks to mobilise $10 billion in private investment by 2030, underscores the growing role of the business sector in this process. Far from just another diplomatic gathering, COP30 is shaping up to be a defining moment for climate action – and, in particular, forest preservation, restoration, and management. With Belém located on the edge of the Amazon, delegates will be immersed in the landscape they seek to protect. More importantly, their host will present them with a menu of proven nature-based solutions – behind which political momentum and private-sector support are already building – that address the many causes of forest loss. The foundations for transformative action are already in place. The challenge will be for Brazil to build on its success in harnessing national policy, sub-national action, and private-sector engagement to accelerate progress and spearhead a new global model of climate action. Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2025. Keith Tuffley, Tuffley, a former head of investment banking, partner, and board member at Goldman Sachs Australia, is CEO of Race to Belém, a group campaigning to raise finance for forest protection in Brazil.
Extra.ie
7 days ago
- Politics
- Extra.ie
President issues statement following meeting with Brazilian Minister of Foreign Affairs
President Michael D. Higgins has described his meeting this morning with Mauro Vieira, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, as productive, with the two discussing environmental justice and sustainable development. Yesterday, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Harris welcomed Vieira to Dublin to commence the first-ever official visit by a Brazilian foreign minister to Ireland, despite a high population of Brazilian immigrants in Ireland. In 2018, Brazil was ranked first in the top 10 registered nationalities in Ireland at 16% of the overall total, according to the Irish census. 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of Ireland and Brazil officially establishing diplomatic relations. Vieira's visit is the highest level of diplomatic engagement by a Brazilian politician to Ireland since. In his statement, President Higgins thanked Vieira and praised Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's work on climate-related issues amid 'extremely challenging conditions' in the country. After President Lula won the 2022 election over far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro, supporters of Bolsonaro attacked federal government buildings in Brazil's capital, refusing to accept Lula's presidency. 'I very much welcome the opportunity of meeting with Foreign Minister Vieira today and of expressing my support as President of Ireland for the vital work which President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and his Government are doing, in extremely challenging conditions,' the President wrote. The visit came at a historic time for Brazil, as the country is set to host the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in November. President Higgins referenced diplomat, humanitarian and Easter Rising leader Roger Casement, who worked as a consul in the region of Belém in 1907. Casement was renowned for his reports exposing atrocities committed against native workers in the Amazon. 'For those who believe in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and sustainable development, globally and within Europe, he [President Lula] is the best ally which they have internationally in achieving these goals,' President Higgins wrote. 'At COP30 in Belém in Brazil in November, a city with which Ireland has a connection through the work of Roger Casement, there needs to be an effective alliance to resist the domination of COP by lobbyists on behalf of oil and logging.' Brazil held the presidency of the G20 in 2024, which focused heavily on environmental issues. Under the G20, Brazil drafted the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, a multilateral treaty supporting the elimination of hunger and poverty to regions around the world, which Ireland signed at last year's G20 summit. 'I commend Brazil on the strong focus placed on sustainable development during its Presidency of the G20, and I am very pleased that Ireland has joined the Global Alliance Against Poverty and Hunger established by President Lula,' President Higgins wrote. The President also discussed the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation, which aims to encourage and facilitate sustainable development of the Amazon. The Amazon Rainforest is the largest and most biodiverse rainforest in the world, covering 40% of the South American continent and producing 20% of Earth's oxygen. However, 40% of the areas of the Amazon rainforest most critical to curbing climate change had not been granted special government protection in 2024 amid massive deforestation. Economic losses because of deforestation in Brazil are estimated to be 7 times more than the cost of all commodities produced through deforestation. According to the Amazon Network of Georeferenced Socio-Environmental Information, up to 23.7 million hectares of forest in the Amazon may have been lost in the past five years— an area around 3.5 times that of Ireland. The Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation has been one way Brazil and its allies have attempted to combat the negative impacts of deforestation through regional cooperation and strategising for a solution. 'The Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation represents one of the most positive voices with regard to the long view of climate change,' President Higgins wrote. 'Under grave difficulties, they are seeking to fight against the speculative money funding illegal logging and the thousands involved in lobbying for fossil fuel conglomerates. President Lula and Brazil should be given support by all those who believe in the importance of reversing the perilous position into which the future of all forms of life on the planet have been plunged.' Along with climate issues, the President also expressed support for Brazil's indigenous population of nearly 1,700,000 as COP30 approaches. While 21% of the Amazon in Brazil has been secured as indigenous land and a Ministry of Native People was established in 2023 to protect indigenous interests, deforestation threatens these communities' safety and security. 'It is also important that the recognition and presence of indigenous people, whom Brazil and President Lula want to get appropriate recognition and centrality, should not be reduced to being a sideshow of COP30,' President Higgins wrote. 'The support of Ireland and those EU member states who share our perspective will be vital in achieving this.' Read the full statement here.
The Advertiser
09-07-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
Australia must 'throw everything' at climate summit
Leaders need to "throw everything" at winning Australia's bid to host a key climate summit as the nation finds itself in a global race to net zero. Australia has teamed up with the Pacific in a proposal to jointly host the 2026 United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP31. But the bid to hold the talks faces a challenge from Turkey. Addressing the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday, Smart Energy Council chief executive John Grimes said Australia must secure the summit. "It's time for the prime minister and foreign minister to throw everything at it, and our industry stands ready," he said. "It actually takes all of us swinging behind this, but the government really, really needs to do whatever it can, because this is a big dividend for Australia. "This is actually Australia at its best when there's a middle power ... out advocating on the global stage for something that is of the community and global benefit and interest." The climate change conference would deliver billions of dollars to the Australian economy through trade deals, tourism and business exposure, he said. The government will hold talks with leaders in Tuvalu, Palau, Samoa and the Republic of the Marshall Islands to discuss ways to amplify their voices as nations highly exposed to the impacts of climate-fuelled disasters. Mr Grimes said Australia needed to work with the Pacific to achieve the world's first 100 per cent renewables region. The head of the body representing the nation's solar and storage industries called on the government to commit to a new emissions reduction target for 2035 to reduce emissions in the 70 per cent range. Australia was on-track to meet its legislated 43 per cent by 2030 emissions reduction target, Mr Grimes said. The Paris agreement, which Australia and 195 other parties adopted in 2015, aims to limit global temperature rises to 1.5C and less than 2C. It requires signatories to increase their emissions targets every five years and not water them down. "The world is in the process of electrifying everything that can be electrified - transportation ... renewable energy and more, Mr Grimes said. "They're not doing it because there is a UN mandate or a charter. "They're doing it because it saves them money. It's actually the cheapest thing to do." Leaders need to "throw everything" at winning Australia's bid to host a key climate summit as the nation finds itself in a global race to net zero. Australia has teamed up with the Pacific in a proposal to jointly host the 2026 United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP31. But the bid to hold the talks faces a challenge from Turkey. Addressing the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday, Smart Energy Council chief executive John Grimes said Australia must secure the summit. "It's time for the prime minister and foreign minister to throw everything at it, and our industry stands ready," he said. "It actually takes all of us swinging behind this, but the government really, really needs to do whatever it can, because this is a big dividend for Australia. "This is actually Australia at its best when there's a middle power ... out advocating on the global stage for something that is of the community and global benefit and interest." The climate change conference would deliver billions of dollars to the Australian economy through trade deals, tourism and business exposure, he said. The government will hold talks with leaders in Tuvalu, Palau, Samoa and the Republic of the Marshall Islands to discuss ways to amplify their voices as nations highly exposed to the impacts of climate-fuelled disasters. Mr Grimes said Australia needed to work with the Pacific to achieve the world's first 100 per cent renewables region. The head of the body representing the nation's solar and storage industries called on the government to commit to a new emissions reduction target for 2035 to reduce emissions in the 70 per cent range. Australia was on-track to meet its legislated 43 per cent by 2030 emissions reduction target, Mr Grimes said. The Paris agreement, which Australia and 195 other parties adopted in 2015, aims to limit global temperature rises to 1.5C and less than 2C. It requires signatories to increase their emissions targets every five years and not water them down. "The world is in the process of electrifying everything that can be electrified - transportation ... renewable energy and more, Mr Grimes said. "They're not doing it because there is a UN mandate or a charter. "They're doing it because it saves them money. It's actually the cheapest thing to do." Leaders need to "throw everything" at winning Australia's bid to host a key climate summit as the nation finds itself in a global race to net zero. Australia has teamed up with the Pacific in a proposal to jointly host the 2026 United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP31. But the bid to hold the talks faces a challenge from Turkey. Addressing the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday, Smart Energy Council chief executive John Grimes said Australia must secure the summit. "It's time for the prime minister and foreign minister to throw everything at it, and our industry stands ready," he said. "It actually takes all of us swinging behind this, but the government really, really needs to do whatever it can, because this is a big dividend for Australia. "This is actually Australia at its best when there's a middle power ... out advocating on the global stage for something that is of the community and global benefit and interest." The climate change conference would deliver billions of dollars to the Australian economy through trade deals, tourism and business exposure, he said. The government will hold talks with leaders in Tuvalu, Palau, Samoa and the Republic of the Marshall Islands to discuss ways to amplify their voices as nations highly exposed to the impacts of climate-fuelled disasters. Mr Grimes said Australia needed to work with the Pacific to achieve the world's first 100 per cent renewables region. The head of the body representing the nation's solar and storage industries called on the government to commit to a new emissions reduction target for 2035 to reduce emissions in the 70 per cent range. Australia was on-track to meet its legislated 43 per cent by 2030 emissions reduction target, Mr Grimes said. The Paris agreement, which Australia and 195 other parties adopted in 2015, aims to limit global temperature rises to 1.5C and less than 2C. It requires signatories to increase their emissions targets every five years and not water them down. "The world is in the process of electrifying everything that can be electrified - transportation ... renewable energy and more, Mr Grimes said. "They're not doing it because there is a UN mandate or a charter. "They're doing it because it saves them money. It's actually the cheapest thing to do." Leaders need to "throw everything" at winning Australia's bid to host a key climate summit as the nation finds itself in a global race to net zero. Australia has teamed up with the Pacific in a proposal to jointly host the 2026 United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP31. But the bid to hold the talks faces a challenge from Turkey. Addressing the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday, Smart Energy Council chief executive John Grimes said Australia must secure the summit. "It's time for the prime minister and foreign minister to throw everything at it, and our industry stands ready," he said. "It actually takes all of us swinging behind this, but the government really, really needs to do whatever it can, because this is a big dividend for Australia. "This is actually Australia at its best when there's a middle power ... out advocating on the global stage for something that is of the community and global benefit and interest." The climate change conference would deliver billions of dollars to the Australian economy through trade deals, tourism and business exposure, he said. The government will hold talks with leaders in Tuvalu, Palau, Samoa and the Republic of the Marshall Islands to discuss ways to amplify their voices as nations highly exposed to the impacts of climate-fuelled disasters. Mr Grimes said Australia needed to work with the Pacific to achieve the world's first 100 per cent renewables region. The head of the body representing the nation's solar and storage industries called on the government to commit to a new emissions reduction target for 2035 to reduce emissions in the 70 per cent range. Australia was on-track to meet its legislated 43 per cent by 2030 emissions reduction target, Mr Grimes said. The Paris agreement, which Australia and 195 other parties adopted in 2015, aims to limit global temperature rises to 1.5C and less than 2C. It requires signatories to increase their emissions targets every five years and not water them down. "The world is in the process of electrifying everything that can be electrified - transportation ... renewable energy and more, Mr Grimes said. "They're not doing it because there is a UN mandate or a charter. "They're doing it because it saves them money. It's actually the cheapest thing to do."
