Speech of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II at the UN Climate Conference COP29 (Video)

2024-11-13 2024-11-13T08:20:38Z

Arab Weather - On behalf of His Majesty King Abdullah II, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II participated yesterday, Tuesday, in the 29th United Nations Climate Conference "COP29", in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku.
His Highness the Crown Prince delivered Jordan's speech at the conference, which is witnessing the participation of leaders of countries from around the world, and representatives of international and economic organizations.

Crown Prince: The work to save our planet must begin with the conviction that all lives are worth saving.
Crown Prince: How can we work together for our common future when some are seen as not deserving of a future?
Crown Prince: Our region is facing a harsh reality related to climate change.
Crown Prince: War exacerbates environmental challenges for Gaza and beyond.
Crown Prince: A comprehensive and fair approach to addressing the climate challenge requires us to pay attention to the relationship between climate, peace and security.
Crown Prince calls for giving priority to refugee-hosting countries in addressing the effects of climate change.

Speech of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II at the UN Climate Change Conference COP29

The following is the text of His Highness the Crown Prince’s speech:

"In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful

On behalf of Jordan, I thank His Excellency President Ilham Aliyev and the people and government of Azerbaijan for hosting this important summit.
We come together in solidarity: a community of nations united to protect the planet we share.
We all realize that without joint action, we are destined for failure.
Yet we meet at a moment when faith in our ability to stand together is fading, when universal norms, including the UN Charter and the Geneva Conventions, are being violated with impunity, when confidence in the ability of the international community to defend its values is crumbling, and when humanitarian violations are broadcast daily for the world to see, yet continue to be ignored without consequence.
The work to save our planet must begin with the conviction that all lives are worth saving, and the solidarity we need depends on the belief in this truth.
But over the past thirteen months, the world has stood by as thousands of Palestinian martyrs in Gaza, the majority of them women and children, have died.
How can we work together for our common future, when some are seen as unworthy of having a future?
The ongoing violence in our region undermines peace and security beyond its borders, and ultimately, this is in no one’s interest.
Our region is facing a harsh reality related to climate change, such as rising temperatures, drought, and loss of biodiversity.
The war is exacerbating environmental challenges, for Gaza and beyond.
A recent study by the United Nations Environment Programme has shown the extent of the pollution of land, water and air in Gaza, and also reported the destruction of sewage and waste management systems, with entire areas now becoming graveyards of debris.
Another study found that the total greenhouse gas emissions that would result from rebuilding Gaza would be higher than the annual emissions of more than 135 countries.
A comprehensive and equitable approach to the climate challenge requires us to pay attention to the relationship between climate, peace and security.
There is no clearer example than refugee communities and their host countries, who are among the most vulnerable to climate change.
At COP27, His Majesty King Abdullah II launched the global Climate-Refugee Nexus initiative, which has so far received the support of 58 countries, and we call on more countries to join.
One in three people living in Jordan are refugees, putting a strain on our infrastructure. We also face increasing demand for scarce resources and services, including water, health and education.
While we have made great strides in Jordan in clean energy, water conservation, and climate-smart agriculture, these efforts are not enough. We need to mobilize communities for climate action and secure a better future for our youth and future generations.
In my country, we are implementing climate policies while dealing with the impacts of conflict, but we cannot solve these interconnected crises alone.
As our Summit works towards achieving the “new collective quantitative goal”, we must prioritize refugee-hosting countries, especially those in areas most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, and ensure accountability and transparency for all in global climate finance mechanisms.
Equally important, we must rebuild trust in the international community, and acknowledge past failures. Our inability to do the right thing together turns us into passive observers, fully aware of the problem, but unwilling to work on solutions.
As His Majesty King Abdullah II said, “In the struggle for life on this earth, there are no spectators.”
This means fighting climate change, fighting for peace, and fighting to alleviate human suffering all at once, because every life is worth fighting for.
Thank you all."

The Jordanian delegation to the conference included Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi, Minister of Environment Dr. Muawiyah Radaideh, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Zeina Touqan, Director of the Office of His Highness the Crown Prince Dr. Zaid Baqaeen, and Jordan's Ambassador to Azerbaijan Omar Al-Nahar.