Civil Society Organizations Call for Highlighting Climate Issues as 'Priority'

Doha November 29 (QNA) - The civil society organizations taking part in the 18th United Nations Conference on climate change in Doha are continuing their various activities to emphasize that dealing with climate issues are no longer the concerns of governments and official organizations only. About 700 NGOs from different countries and regions from around the world are attending the climate conference in its eighteenth edition. These organizations are trying to diversify its means to deliver voice and drew the attention of delegations participating in the conference and the media to climate issues that occupy the minds of peoples. Through conferences, press releases, expressive poses and logos offline meetings with official delegations down to the football and "climate ambassadors", these organizations seek to say "we are here", and are also preparing to march in the Doha Corniche on climate next Saturday. In this context, Reem Al Mualla of Arab youth movement for climate change said that these organizations will continue efforts through various activities to draw the attention of the negotiators to the importance of outcomes rise to the level of the challenges faced by the world because of climate change. At a press conference held here today, Al Mualla urged the Arab countries to take the lead and put the issues of climate change in their political, education and societal priorities. The Arab activist has vowed to diversify the youth activities on the sidelines of the 18th United Nations Conference on climate change "to tell the world that we are here and you have to do a lot." She said a march to be organized next Saturday on the Doha Corniche, is involving civil society organizations from around the world as well as some local authorities to draw attention to climate change issues. For her part, Liz Galegr of the Organization (E3G) movement of the third generation for environment has pledged to constantly continue efforts of civil society organizations at the conference. She expressed concern about the "low ambition in the negotiations," and said, "There are bodies failed to achieve its emissions reduction commitments as well as some countries have changed their positions and trying to wriggle out of the second commitment period." She also pointed out to other issues that worry developing countries such as lack of funding and technology transfer and related issues to help adapt to climate change. (QNA)