Iraq actively participates in UN Climate Change Conference
An Iraqi official particiaping in the 27th annual United Nations Conference on Climate Change. Photo: UNDP
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) issued a statement on Sunday describing Iraq’s participation in the 27th annual United Nations Conference on Climate Change, held in the Egyptian city of Sharm El-Sheikh, as ‘more vital than ever.’
Iraq is ranked as the fifth most vulnerable country to climate change, with extreme weather events across the country demonstrating the immediate impact on Iraqi communities, making Iraq’s participation in COP27, more vital than ever, according to the statement.
“The Iraqi delegation participated in the conference with high visibility. This year was the first time Iraq had a youth delegation, with three youth representatives. Over half of the Iraqi delegation were women, and more than 60 percent of the negotiating team were women as well,” the statement mentioned.
“The summit closed early Sunday with a historic agreement to set up a “loss and damage” fund for developing countries, an issue that the Iraqi negotiators have heavily pushed for, along with the G77 Group and the Arab Group. The Iraqi negotiators were also active in negotiating articles of the Paris Agreement regarding Carbon Markets and Technology Transfer,” the statement clarified.
“The delegation participated in meetings with UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Arab States, UNFCCC, UN Regional Collaboration Centers, the Adaptation Fund, NDC Partnership, Green Climate Fund, Global Environment Facility, UNEP and UN Habitat. The delegation was successful in bringing in more technical and financial support to Iraq from the international climate funds,” the statement elaborated.
“This conference is of a particular importance given the serious challenges that climate change imposes on the region and the world. We are suffering from the imminent danger of drought and land degradation in addition to a big decline in our water resources, and this, of course, is one of the essential issues that we are working on with a promising government program,” the Iraqi Deputy Minister of Environment, Jasim Humadi, said.