Al Raya: Qatar is an Effective Partner in Facing Climate Challenges

Doha, July 02 (QNA) - Al-Raya newspaper, issued today, highlighted the strong role played by the State of Qatar in the international efforts to confront climate challenges, stressing in this regard that it is the first Arab country to appoint a special delegate for climate change and sustainability, and its hosting of environmentally friendly FIFA World Cup which reflects its commitment to combating this phenomenon. Al-Raya said in its editorial titled "Qatar Effective Partner to Confront Climate Challenges" that the State of Qatar has always affirmed its firm commitment to the principle of partnership and cooperation with the international community to combat this phenomenon and face its challenges that strike all parts of the world, Noting that its efforts were not limited to the national level, but played an initiating and prominent role at the international level. The newspaper added, the praise of the US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, for the seriousness and commitment of the State of Qatar to address climate change issues, and for being in a good position to lead efforts to diversify the economies of the region, emphasizing the importance of Qatar's role in facing this international challenge that threatens many peoples around the world. Al-Raya highlighted the US envoy's assertion that Qatar has the credibility to be able to give a model in addressing climate issues, which means hosting the first environmentally friendly FIFA World Cup, and his expectations that Qatar's leadership in the region will be part of the process of transforming the green economy and diversifying the region's economies that it depends mainly on oil and gas revenues. The newspaper pointed out that the Qatari position on climate issues, as usual with the rest of the vital issues, characterizes its effectiveness, to match the positions on international platforms with the reality on the ground through qualitative initiatives, including, but not limited to: the announcement of FIFA World Cup next year, as an environmentally friendly tournament by using solar energy in stadiums, and using energy- and water-efficient cooling and lighting technology, for the first time in the history of the most popular tournament in the world. Al-Raya said that the State of Qatar has assumed, from the beginning, its responsibility as an active partner in the international community to confront the phenomenon of climate change, as it hosted in 2012 the 18th session of the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and hosted the Doha Carbon and Energy Forum, in which international experts took part to develop policy recommendations for this sector and for governments on climate change, alternative energy, carbon storage, and spared no effort in making the 2015 Paris climate agreement negotiations a success. Al-Raya pointed out that one of the important Qatari steps to support peoples in addressing global climate challenges is Qatar's announcement during the work of the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit, its contribution of USD 100 million to support small island developing states and least developed countries, to deal with climate change and natural hazards and environmental challenges, and building capacity to confront their devastating effects. To conclude its editorial, the newspaper noted that the State of Qatar announced last March the appointment of Bader Omar Ismail Al Dafa as Special Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Climate Change and Sustainability, within the framework of the role Doha plays in supporting the environment and facing global climate challenges. (QNA)