Hoda Jassim (Baghdad)
Iraqi experts specializing in climate change issues considered that the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 28) gives a great impetus to climate action and the implementation of international commitments in the face of climate changes that have become a threat to the whole world.
And the Iraqi expert concerned with climate affairs, Khaled Suleiman, considered that “COP 28” will contribute to taking a number of decisions, especially those that were approved at the Paris Climate Conference in 2015, including reducing carbon emissions and approving aid for affected poor countries that do not contribute to these emissions.
Suleiman said in a statement to Al-Ittihad that the previous climate conferences faced several problems, including the spread of the Corona epidemic and the Ukrainian crisis, considering that these conferences did not reach decisive decisions regarding carbon emissions and assistance to poor countries, as well as the dispute between large industrialized countries and their contribution to those emissions.
Suleiman stressed that conflicts and wars have made the countries of the world not pay attention to the seriousness of climate changes that specialists have pointed out in the last century, calling for focusing on implementing climate-related decisions. Suleiman indicated that the Middle East and North Africa region suffers more than other regions from climate change, as it is exposed to a significant rise in temperatures, in addition to a lack of renewable water resources, considering that the region needs a great contribution and pressure on all parties to ensure the future in this region.
For his part, the Iraqi environmental and agricultural expert, Adel Al-Mukhtar, indicated that “Cop 28” comes in a very difficult situation due to the negative effects of climate change.
Al-Mukhtar considered, in a statement to Al-Ittihad, that the use of fossil fuels instead of dry gas, which affects the vegetation cover, is a dangerous indicator.
In the context, the Iraqi activist and expert in the field of environment, Engineer Jassim Al-Asadi, indicated that the economic losses resulting from climate change, such as floods, droughts, and landslides, amounted to tens of billions and affected tens of millions around the world, according to reports issued by the World Meteorological Organization.
“Small farmers in developing countries produce a third of the world’s food, yet they receive 1.7 percent of climate finance, even when they have to adapt to droughts, floods, hurricanes and other natural disasters,” Al-Asadi said in a statement to Al-Ittihad.
Al-Asadi indicated that COP28 seeks to take action on critical issues to address the climate emergency, starting from reducing greenhouse gas emissions, building resilience and adapting to the inevitable effects of climate change, and fulfilling commitments to financing climate action in developing countries.
Al-Asadi said, “With the failures or the goals achieved in previous climate conferences, COP28 comes to achieve the goals and provides more support to developing countries in the field of facing the repercussions of climate change and fulfilling commitments to finance the Loss and Damage Fund.”
#Iraqi #experts #told #AlIttihad #Middle #East #among #affected #climate #change