SHARM AL SHEIKH, Egypt — The governments of the UAE, Jordan, and Israel have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) to advance the clean energy and sustainable water desalination projects announced last year.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and UAE’s Special Envoy for Climate Change; and John Kerry, United States’ Special Presidential Envoy for Climate.
The agreement was signed by Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment; Mohammad Al Najjar, Jordan’s Minister of Water and Irrigation, and Esawi Frej, Israel’s Minister of Regional Cooperation.
The MoU relates to Project Prosperity, which has two components: Prosperity Green and Prosperity Blue. Prosperity Green includes a 600-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic plant, complemented with electric storage, which will be built in Jordan and produce clean energy for export to Israel. Prosperity Blue is a sustainable water desalination program, located in Israel, to export to Jordan 200 million cubic metres of potable water per annum.
The governments of the #UAE, #Jordan and #Israel have signed an MoU at #COP27 to advance the clean energy and sustainable water desalination projects announced last year. @MoCCaEUAE @COP27P @mariammalmheiri @GGGIJordan @IsraelMFA pic.twitter.com/5tVzXpy9GG
— TRENDS (@mena_trends) November 8, 2022
The three countries signed an initial Declaration of Intent to explore the feasibility of both projects at Expo 2020 Dubai in the UAE in November 2021.
As per the MoU, feasibility studies for each of the projects have been ongoing and the parties affirm that both Prosperity Green and Prosperity Blue have positive potential prospects. The UAE, Jordan, and Israel will continue engaging to develop the necessary implementation plans in time for COP28, which is to be held in the UAE next November.
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Project Prosperity was proposed to help address some of the challenges posed by climate change on water and energy security in the Middle East, and to promote renewable energy, sustainable water supply, and stability in the region.
Mangrove Alliance for Climate
Separately, Mariam Almheiri announced the launch of the Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC). Led by the UAE and Indonesia, the initiative seeks to scale up and accelerate the conservation and restoration of mangrove ecosystems for the benefit of communities worldwide.
MAC seeks to raise awareness about the role of mangroves as a nature-based climate change solution, and, through its members, will work towards expanding and rehabilitating mangrove forests globally.
Mangrove forests are among the most productive and ecologically important ecosystems on earth. They offer significant climate change mitigation and adaptation co-benefits, as they store carbon up to 400 percent faster than land-based tropical rainforests, protect coasts from rising sea levels, erosion, and storm surges, and provide breeding grounds for marine biodiversity. Around 80 percent of the global fish population depend on healthy mangrove ecosystems.
Mariam Almheiri said, “Increasing reliance on nature-based solutions is an integral element of the UAE’s climate action on the domestic as well as international level, therefore we seek to expand our mangrove cover. At COP26, we presented our ambitious target of planting 100 million mangroves by 2030.”
“We are pleased to launch MAC jointly with Indonesia, and believe it will go a long way in driving collective climate action and rehabilitating blue carbon ecosystems,” she added.
The Minister noted that the UAE intends to plant three million mangroves within the next two months.
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At the MAC launch ceremony, the website https://mangrovealliance4climate.org, which features the alliance’s goals, work mechanisms, and a pledge form for members, went live.
MAC will follow a voluntary approach. Members can determine their own commitments towards planting and restoring mangrove forests, promoting multilateral cooperation, and sharing knowledge, while the Alliance will support their projects in the areas of mangrove research, management and protection of coastal areas, and educating the public about climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Collectively, members will demonstrate their dedication to maximising the potential of nature-based solutions through mangrove planting and conservation campaigns, enhance mangroves’ climate change mitigation capabilities through research and innovation, contribute to mangrove conservation worldwide through scientific and socio-economic studies, engage the community and the private sector in mangrove planting to expand blue carbon ecosystems, and step up concerted efforts to advance the global climate agenda.
MAC will feature multiple interactive platforms, including annual meetings to track progress in implementing its goals, drive cooperation between members, and approve annual reports.