Dubai (Union)
The Arab Organization for Administrative Development affiliated to the League of Arab States, in partnership with the UAE government, launched the report “Sustainability and Government Action – The State of Arab Governments”, on the sidelines of the Sustainability and Government Action Forum that the organization held in the Arab Republic of Egypt, in the presence of Her Excellency Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State. for government development and the future, and Nasser Al-Hatlan Al-Qahtani, Director General of the Arab Organization for Administrative Development at the League of Arab States, and a number of ministers and officials concerned with a file on administrative development and sustainability in the Arab countries, as part of the UAE’s initiatives for the Year of Sustainability.
The report conducted interviews with 1,800 Arab government leaders, and reached a set of recommendations in key areas of transformation such as fostering and developing smart cities, green financing and resource mobilization in the private sector, innovation in policy-making, and investment in raising awareness.
climate ambitions
His Excellency Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and President-designate of the Conference of the Parties, COP28, said: “Governments play a pivotal role in reducing the repercussions of climate change by developing effective and appropriate strategies and policies that achieve global climate ambitions in partnership with all concerned parties, including regional organizations. and international ones with the aim of encouraging cooperation and exchange of experiences between all countries to find realistic solutions and achieve radical progress in climate action. The “Sustainability and Government Action – State of Arab Governments” report, launched by the Arab Organization for Administrative Development in partnership with the UAE government, is a reference for Arab governments on the opportunities offered by sustainability for development in the Arab world. Efforts to achieve a quantum leap in climate action, in conjunction with the continuation of sustainable economic and social development.
Sustainability and green transition
For her part, Her Excellency Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Government Development and the Future, stressed in a keynote speech at the Sustainability and Government Action Forum the need to develop supportive government policies and legislation that stimulate towards sustainability and green transformation, and consolidate partnership between government and private sectors to achieve national goals to reach climate neutrality in Arab governments. .
Her Excellency Ohood Al Roumi said: “Sustainability has gained great importance over the past years for governments and international organizations alike, given its importance in preserving resources and using them sustainably to meet the needs of current and future generations. Sustainability also supports the balance between economic, social and environmental development in Arab countries, in addition to To its pivotal role in building more stable and sustainable societies in the region, providing job opportunities and enhancing the quality of life.
Her Excellency Ohood Al Roumi indicated that despite the great challenges associated with climate change, there are many opportunities that can be seized, especially when talking about the role of governments as an engine of change and prosperity, noting the need to integrate sustainability to green government operations at all stages. Her Excellency Ohood Al Roumi added: “The ‘Sustainability and Government Action – State of Arab Governments’ report contributes to raising the readiness of Arab governments to achieve sustainability and confront climate change and the economic and social challenges associated with it. It also summarizes the most important opportunities that support economic growth in the long term, and explores future sectors that will make contributions. For Arab development by defining proactive climate policies, visions and actions, and focusing on flexibility to adapt to the requirements of green government. The report is part of the UAE’s efforts in the field of climate action, and its firm commitment to developing sustainable solutions to environmental challenges, and is in line with the Year of Sustainability announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, may God protect him, and within the UAE’s preparations to host the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change «COP 28».
climate neutrality
Her Excellency Ohood Al Roumi stated that the UAE has made extensive achievements in this sector through the strategic initiative to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, to be the first country in the Middle East and North Africa to announce its goal to achieve climate neutrality, and what it entails of new opportunities for sustainable development and economic progress and the consolidation of the country’s position as a destination. Ideal for living, working and thriving communities.
For his part, Dr. Nasser Al-Hatlan said: “This report reflects the commitment of Arab governments to preserving the environment and reducing the negative effects of climate change, and highlights the innovative steps that have been taken to enhance sustainability and preserve natural resources for future generations.”
The Director General of the Arab Organization for Administrative Development expressed his confidence in the response and cooperation of Arab governments with this initiative, which will reflect positively on the hoped-for Arab administrative development, without which it is difficult to achieve the goals of comprehensive and sustainable development.
He extended his thanks and appreciation to the United Arab Emirates for its support of the joint Arab action system, not only through this initiative, but also through many initiatives that serve Arab development.
The results of the report were published in cooperation with the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), with the participation of a group of experts, including His Excellency Dr. ADNOC.
poll
The report conducted a survey on the sustainability and readiness of Arab governments, where about half of government employees stated that their government currently has a complete and published plan to reduce carbon emissions and other gas emissions resulting from government operations. Therefore, the level of awareness of sustainable strategies is predominant among the younger age group in general. More than half of government employees agreed that climate change affects the ordinary lives of citizens, 8 out of 10 government employees agreed that government agencies should collect specific data on the environment and climate change, and 3 out of 10 government employees opposed the idea of governments making efforts to transition To more sustainable vehicles such as hybrid and electric vehicles.
The report also dealt with adaptation policies, developing early warning systems for storms, strengthening infrastructure to be able to cope with harsh weather conditions, and switching to drought-resistant crops. This response will fuel innovation and create a new economic sector for goods and services.
Axes
The report covers a number of main axes, most notably goals and commitments with net carbon emissions, nationally determined contributions, regulations, economic incentives, policies for adaptation and risk management, investment, research and development in green economy sectors, training and education, and government institutional capabilities.
The report indicated the need to identify the most effective policies in their national and international context, as countries differ in social and economic importance, in the relationship between the government and private sectors, and in legislative frameworks. Thus, each government uses a unique set of policy tools and initiatives.
The report stressed that hosting the Conference of the Parties “COP 28” in the UAE is an opportunity to drive investments in the region and forge partnerships across various sectors and stakeholders. Not only will Arab governments manage their countries’ paths to net zero emissions, but they will also have to lead the way by increasing the readiness of their workforces for a greener economy and a more sustainable future for government administration.
Recommendations
The report concluded with recommendations in a number of key areas of transformation. The first recommendation dealt with fostering and developing smart cities by employing digital solutions in urban planning and transforming traditional networks and services into more efficient systems that benefit residents and businesses. Smart cities are also characterized by urban transport networks that are more flexible, as well as the use of less resource-consuming methods.
The second recommendation focused on green financing and mobilizing resources from the private sector. The report indicated the importance of financing to enable innovations and technologies to mitigate the repercussions of climate change and adapt to it, and this requires funding from the government and private sectors. Governments also play a critical role in stimulating private capital and urging investors to invest in green projects, and supporting investors to mitigate investment challenges such as high initial costs, technical challenges, and changing business models. Governments must also align themselves with the sustainable financial decisions they make, by investing in research that promotes sustainability, as well as ensuring that public procurement is environmentally friendly.
The third recommendation referred to the need for innovation in policy-making by developing new mechanisms for decision-making related to climate threats, taking into account the short and long-term effects. For example, the trend towards digital transformation in the region is still in its infancy – and the UAE has become a pioneer in this field, as digitization has the potential to reduce emissions and reduce waste. Experts emphasized that greening requires technology, and technology in turn requires digital transformation, which necessitates the government to take digital transformation into account to achieve a government that is more environmentally friendly. The World Economic Forum estimates that digital technologies can reduce global emissions by 15%.
As for the last recommendation, it dealt with investing in raising awareness with the aim of bringing about a cultural shift within the government and society that allows reforming the government sector and adjusting governance strategies to encourage and enable innovations that mitigate climate-related challenges. Some of the leaders of international organizations have expressed that raising the level of awareness is not enough. Rather, it is necessary to build human capacities at the level of leadership with knowledge and experience to meet the challenges. Investing in raising the level of awareness and capabilities of the government is perhaps one of the most important means of greening the government.
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