UN-ESCWA Executive Secretary participates in Climate Change Conference

United Nations Under-Secretary-General and UN-ESCWA (Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia) Executive Secretary Mr. Bader Omar Al Dafa delivered today 12 December 2007, a presentation on “Strategies for Adaptation and Mitigation of Climate Change in the ESCWA Region”, in the side-event organized by the five regional commissions of the United Nations, during the conference on climate change the international organization on 3-14 December in Bali, Indonesia. In his presentation, Al Dafa stressed the need to take counter measures that ward off climate change, especially in the regions of the regional commissions, quoting the UN Secretary-General on the subject, when he said that we must save this precious earth because it is our common home. Al Dafa noted the asymmetry between the UN-ESCWA region’s small contribution to climate change on one hand and the great impact this phenomenon will have on the region on the other hand, highlighting the negative repercussions of climate change, especially when the UN-ESCWA region relies so greatly on natural resources. Al Dafa listed some of these repercussions, saying they included: the exacerbation of water scarcity and of conflicts over natural resources, the increase in unemployment and rise of the sea water levels, etc. Al Dafa continues by saying the solution is two-fold: First, adaptation with climate change, through the change or the creation of infrastructure, as well as social safety nets to alleviate or prevent losses, for example. Second, mitigation of climate change, by promoting economic incentives, as well as renewable energy technologies and encouraging all sectors to reduce their energy consumption. The Executive Secretary is to take part, on Friday 14 December, in the seminar hosted by the Executive Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, on “Emerging Development Issues and Challenges in the Regions”. He will also participate in the meeting of the five Regional Commissions Executive Secretaries, on the same day.