Latest news with #ConferenceofthePartiestotheConventiononBiologicalDiversity
Egypt Independent
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
Yasmine Fouad resigns as Environment Minister as she takes on UNCCD Secretary-General role
Egyptian Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad submitted her resignation from the government of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, who accepted it on Sunday, as she focuses on her role as Executive Secretary of the Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). The longest-serving minister in the cabinet Fouad is one of the longest-serving ministers in the Egyptian government, having served for seven years as Environment Minister. She concluded her term on Sunday in a celebration held by ministry employees to honor her career and her role in Egyptian environmental work, as well as her regional and Arab role. Fouad led an exceptional career in serving the environment and sustainable development from the halls of the Egyptian government to the platforms of the United Nations. Onto a new role On Sunday, Fouad officially submitted her resignation from her position as Environment Minister to assume a prestigious international position as the first Egyptian and Arab woman to hold the position of Executive Secretary of the UNCCD, by decision of UN Secretary-General António Guterres. This new international position reflects her deep experience and proven track record in environmental diplomacy, as she will lead global efforts to combat desertification starting in August. Academic Qualifications PhD in Euro-Mediterranean Studies from Cairo University, where she developed a deep understanding of global environmental politics. MA in Environmental Science from Ain Shams University, which provided a solid scientific foundation for her work in environmental governance. Visiting Scholar at the Earth Institute at Columbia University, where she contributed to the design of the Center of Excellence for Climate Change Adaptation in Egypt. Career During her tenure as Environment Minister, she led institutional reforms and pioneering initiatives, such as the presidential initiative 'Get Ready for Green' (2020-2023) to promote environmental awareness and youth engagement. While she was Assistant Minister of Environment (2014-2018), she established a strong foundation for sustainable environmental policies in Egypt. Fouad also boasts International experience with the United Nations and NGOs. She has worked with global and regional organizations such as the Nile Basin Organization, where she prepared studies on the impact of climate change on water resources. She was a lead author on the 2017 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, focusing on desertification and sustainable land management. Global Achievements Presidency of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP14): Led the conference in November 2018 and contributed to the formulation of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. The Egyptian Initiative for the Integration of the Rio Conventions: Launched a pioneering initiative to link climate change, biodiversity, and desertification control agreements to ensure effective financing for environmental challenges. Leading climate finance negotiations (COP24): She played a pivotal role at the Katowice 2018 conference, leading to the completion of the financial component of the Paris Agreement. Establishing the Loss and Damage Fund at COP27: She actively contributed to launching this fund to support countries affected by climate change. Supporting African initiatives: She led the African Adaptation and Renewable Energy Initiatives within the framework of the Conference of African Ministers of the Environment. Leaving behind a sustainable Legacy A ceremony was held at the ministry to honor her pioneering role in promoting Egyptian and regional environmental policies. Following her resignation from the government, the Prime Minister congratulated Fouad on her appointment as Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. Fouad is one of the 10 most influential government leaders in the Middle East, having been selected for Forbes Middle East's 2024 list for her distinguished role in achieving sustainability. Through her distinguished environmental initiatives, such as 'Get Ready for Green' and her role in the Rio Conventions, Fouad left behind a clear legacy in promoting environmental awareness and climate change adaptation. Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
Ammon
16-02-2025
- Politics
- Ammon
The Amazon's Future Will Be Decided in 2025
Global climate talks have produced plenty of lofty promises and high-profile partnerships, but far too little real action. Without urgent, collaborative efforts to slash emissions and increase funding for climate-change adaptation and ecosystem conservation, the world risks losing an indispensable natural asset. SíO PAULO/WAGENINGEN – Between November 2023 and October 2024, the Amazon rainforest faced yearly average temperature increases above 2° Celsius. Record-breaking heat waves, droughts, and fires have ravaged the region; deforestation is still too high; and indigenous peoples and local communities have faced proliferating threats against their livelihoods and well-being. The threat these trends represent can hardly be overstated. The Amazon is rapidly approaching a tipping point, beyond which forest dieback could cause permanent degradation. The region's transformation into self-drying areas of open vegetation would wreak havoc on the biome's unmatched biodiversity, its food systems, and the livelihoods of its 47 million inhabitants. It would also destroy a vital carbon sink and a powerful source of moisture for South America – the 'flying rivers' that sustain rainfall systems far south of the Amazon Basin. Despite ample opportunity for multilateral efforts to protect and restore the Amazon, the outcomes so far have been woefully inadequate. Just last October, leaders gathered in Cali, Colombia, for the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16). A few weeks later, they headed to Baku, Azerbaijan, for the 29th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29). But neither gathering yielded the necessary results. To be sure, COP16 brought the adoption of a new 'program of work,' which should enhance the ability of indigenous peoples and local communities to contribute to biodiversity conservation. It also featured the launch of the Cali Fund, which facilitates the equitable distribution of profits from the use of sequenced genetic information that has been collected from the natural world. But only 44 of the 196 parties at the event managed to produce new national biodiversity plans. Likewise, while COP29 brought the launch of the Baku Forest Declaration, climate-financing commitments fell far short of developing economies' needs, and negotiators failed to reach a new agreement on cutting greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions. Neither deforestation nor land use were so much as mentioned in the COP29 Presidential Action Agenda. Despite these disappointments, some countries showed initiative and leadership in 2024. At COP29, Brazil – home to about 60% of the Amazon rainforest – became the second country to launch its new Nationally Determined Contribution under the 2015 Paris climate agreement. The plan includes a reduction of net GHG emissions to about 60% below 2005 levels by 2035 – a target that is critical to halting deforestation. Moreover, as host of the G20 2024 Leaders' Summit in Rio de Janeiro in November, Brazil secured backing for the Tropical Forest Forever Facility, an innovative new fund – expected to attract $125 billion in initial investment – that will reward countries for conserving tropical forests, including areas from the Amazon to Borneo to the Congo Basin. Another Brazilian vision was realized at the G20 Summit. The G20 Initiative on Bioeconomy aims to unleash the bioeconomy's potential to advance a sustainable future and foster inclusive economic growth. In Rio, the initiative's members agreed on ten High-Level Principles to guide bioeconomy development. Brazil also collaborated with G20 member countries to launch, in November, the Brazil Restoration & Bioeconomy Finance Coalition to bolster the conservation and restoration of the country's forests. And Brazil is a member, along with the other seven Amazonian countries, of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization, which reached an agreement with the Pan American Health Organization in October to promote health and sustainable development in the region. Brazil has matched its global leadership with a push to reduce deforestation at home. In 2024, its deforestation rate reached a nine-year low. Some other Amazonian countries are following suit. Colombia, for example, reduced deforestation to a 23-year low in 2023, halving primary forest loss compared to the previous year. But others are moving in the opposite direction: in Bolivia, primary forest loss increased by 27% in 2023. This year's UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil – the first such conference to be held in the Amazon – offers a chance to build on recent progress and bridge important gaps. A top priority for the conference – for which countries should already be preparing – should be to secure a global commitment to achieving zero deforestation in the Amazon by 2030 and net-zero global GHG emissions before 2050. During the G20 Summit, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva challenged member countries to reach net-zero by 2040 or 2045 – essential targets to combat the climate emergency. Targeted funding and support will be needed to restore ecosystems, enhance resilience, conserve biodiversity, and protect the rights and livelihoods of the indigenous peoples and local communities who depend on the Amazon and are its stewards and protectors. Increased climate finance and the expansion of protected areas and indigenous territories are essential. Action must also be taken to protect and strengthen the Amazonian socio-bioeconomies, both by promoting the sustainable use and restoration of 'healthy standing forests and flowing rivers' and by investing in relevant science, technology, and innovation. Global climate talks have produced no shortage of lofty promises and high-profile partnerships, but when it comes to real action, they have consistently fallen short. Now, with the Amazon's survival in the balance, we need immediate, concrete, collaborative efforts to slash emissions and channel more resources toward climate-change adaptation and ecosystem conservation. If COP30 fails to deliver, we risk losing the Amazon altogether. *Carlos Nobre, a professor at the University of São Paulo, is Co-Chair of the Science Panel for the Amazon.
