New York - Information Office - March 11
The State of Qatar has affirmed its support for international efforts to mobilize climate finance to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change and promote climate action, reiterating HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani's affirmation that climate change is one of the most serious challenges of the modern era, and His Highness' warning that it could lead to unstable social, economic, and political conditions.
This came in the statement of the State of Qatar, delivered by HE the Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Sheikha Alya bint Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani at the UN Security Council Arria-Formula Ministerial Meeting on "Climate Finance for Sustaining Peace and Security."
The statement pointed out that the State of Qatar is a major donor to least developed countries and small island developing states, with rapid and responsive funding to meet local needs and priorities, noting that some countries have addressed many crises, including droughts, severe floods, the COVID-19 pandemic impact, food insecurity, poverty, and conflict.
In its statement, the State of Qatar noted the USD100 million contribution announced by HH the Amir at the 2019 United Nations Climate Action Summit to support these countries to adapt and build resilience to climate change, natural hazards, and environmental challenges.
Also, the statement noted the support provided by the State of Qatar to the Adaptation Fund of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, as it contributed in January 2021 to providing financial support to the Adaptation Fund to meet the increasing needs for financing adaptation among the most vulnerable communities in developing countries, considering that conflict and fragility can impede effective responses to climate change.
In this context, the statement referred to the new partnership between the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), the general development corporation in Qatar, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to assist vulnerable communities in Somalia with a contribution of USD1.7 million to achieve food security and build resilience towards climate change, stressing that this partnership will pay particular attention to ensuring the inclusion of the most vulnerable and marginalized groups, including women and youth.
Regarding climate change and food security, the statement said that the State of Qatar launched the Global Drylands Alliance (GDA) to enable member states to pool their research efforts and adopt new technologies to enhance food security, noting that GDA is an international organization with observer status in the UN General Assembly.
The statement highlighted Qatar's financial support for the UNDP Accelerator Lab, which is working to find radically new approaches that suit the complexity of current development challenges, including the intersection of climate, conflict, and fragility, stressing that the State of Qatar, as host of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, has committed to organizing an environmentally friendly tournament, to be the first carbon-neutral tournament with solar-powered stadiums and the use of cooling and lighting technology to save water and energy.
The statement indicated that the State of Qatar will dismantle one of the 40,000-seat stadiums after the World Cup to be provided as assistance to developing countries, while donating 170,000 seats from other stadiums to countries that need sports infrastructure, pointing to Qatar's pledge to exchange its experience and transfer knowledge in this field to other countries.
The statement praised the "Sports for Development and Peace" initiative launched by the State of Qatar, explaining that the initiative will finance many sports-related projects and uses sport as an effective tool for humanitarian and development efforts and peace-building in various countries.