Bahrain's efforts to confront environmental, climate change challenges highlighted at round table meeting

Manama, Mar. 26 (BNA): Special Envoy for Climate Affairs and Chief Executive of the Supreme Council for Environment (SCE), Dr. Mohammed Mubarak bin Daina, held a round table meeting with the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington (AGSIW). Organised by the Bahraini Embassy to Washington, the meeting was attended by AGSIW’s Executive Vice President, Ambassador William Roebuck, and a number of environmental and economic affairs experts. Addressing the meeting, Dr. Bin Daina expressed thanks to Bahrain’s Ambassador to the US, Shaikh Abdulla bin Rashid Al Khalifa, for the Embassy’s organisation of the meeting, stressing the keenness of the Supreme Council for the Environment, led by the Personal Representative of HM the King, His Highness Shaikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa, to strengthen cooperation with studies and research centres in order to confront the environmental and climate change challenges facing the world, including small island states. Dr. Bin Daina lauded the pioneering role played by the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington to provide research and analyse the social, economic and political situation of the Arabian Gulf states, noting that AGSIW is the only research institute that supports the GCC states with the latest studies and scientific research that contribute to enhancing their national efforts aimed at achieving sustainable development goals. He reviewed Bahrain’s efforts to adapt to the effects of climate change through plans, strategic studies, environmental projects and international reports that confirm its commitment to international conventions and agreements concerned with preserving the environment and confronting climate change. In this regard, he highlighted the kingdom’s great interest in achieving sustainable development goals, in line with the directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and the follow-up and interest of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. The Special Envoy for Climate Affairs indicated that the Kingdom has included sustainable development goals (SDGs) within the Government Action Plan, and has adopted SDG indicators as a standard for measuring its infrastructure and development programmes and projects, noting that Bahrain recently launched its third national report on Climate Change, which confirms its commitment to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. The experts participating in the round table discussed a number of topics related to climate change, the diversification of the Kingdom’s economy, the shift towards clean energy and environmental-friendly projects, the effects of climate change on the economic, political and social situation in the Arabian Gulf states and neighbouring countries, in addition to a number of issues and matters related to the protection of the environment and climate change.