Environment Minister Welcomes Qatar's Hosting 18th UN Convention on Climate Change

Durban, South Africa, December 08 (QNA) - HE Qatar's Minister of Environment Abdulla bin Mubarak bin Aboud Al Madadi on Thursday wished success for the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), currently in session in Durban, South Africa. Addressing the conference, HE the Environment Minister conveyed HH the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani's greetings to the participants and his wishes of success. HE the Minister expressed thanks and appreciation to the government of South Africa for the hospitality and the good organization of the conference. He wished that the efforts will result in bringing the views together and achieving constructive results for the success of the conference. HE the Environment Minister welcomed Qatar's hosting the 18th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change next year, and underlined Qatar's willingness to harness all resources for the success of the conference, He also expressed thanks to the conference Secretariat and the Asian Group for their confidence in Qatar. HE the Minister said that climate change is a global challenge that can be dealt with only through the concerted efforts of the World, noting that Qatar believes that the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change is the appropriate framework for consultation to get to the best ways to reduce the effects of this phenomenon and develop appropriate mechanisms for adapting and dealing with the natural phenomena resulting from the climate change. HE the Minister highlighted that Qatar significantly contributes to the provision of clean energy worldwide, adding that it has many projects that contribute to reduction of emissions resulting from the energy consumption in the world. The efforts of the State of Qatar is not limited to the adaptation to climate change locally, but also includes the activation of solidarity efforts and joint action as a worldwide responsibility in the face of the consequences of this phenomenon such as hunger and poverty, as confirmed by HH the Emir at the World Summit on Food Security, held in Rome in 2009. The State of Qatar was chosen to host the 18th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change on 2012 during the meetings of the COP17 conference, currently in session in Durban, South Africa. This choice comes in recognition of the contributions made by the State of Qatar in the field of environment, in implementation of the wise directives of HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, and the continued follow-up of HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The conference is considered the most prominent international meeting in the field of environment. Its political, economic and environmental importance stemmed from the growing global interest in the adverse effects of the climate change and its impact on the global economy. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change sets an overall framework for intergovernmental efforts to tackle the challenge posed by climate change. It recognizes that the climate system is a shared resource whose stability can be affected by industrial and other emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. The UNFCCC entered into force on 21 March 1994. It is a "Rio Convention", one of three adopted at the "Rio Earth Summit" in 1992. Its sister Rio Conventions are the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and the Convention to Combat Desertification. The 195 countries that have ratified the Convention are called Parties to the Convention. The 18th UN Convention, hosted by Doha, draws attention as it will be held with the end of the time period prescribed for the work of the (Kyoto) Protocol in 2012. The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The major feature of the Kyoto Protocol is that it sets binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. These reductions amount to an average of five per cent against 1990 levels over the five-year period 2008-2012. (QNA)