Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Climate Envoy Adel al-Jubeir met with Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, Senior Advisor to Prime Minister Masrour Barzani for Foreign Affairs and Climate Change, during COP16 in Riyadh.
“They discussed issues related to the environment, climate, and desertification, as well as efforts to address these challenges. They also reviewed topics on the conference agenda,” the Saudi Foreign Ministry posted.
COP16 of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification is taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from December 2-13, 2024.
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Writing for Kurdistan Chronicle last year, Climate Advisor Abdul Rahman highlighted that approximately 40% of Iraq is affected by desertification, which has contributed to an increase in the frequency and intensity of dust storms. Iraq is ranked as the fifth-most vulnerable country to climate change and the 39th-most water-stressed, according to the UN.
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A climate vulnerability assessment by the International Organization for Migration published on June 3 underlined that the impact of climate change is less noticeable and more localized in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq than in central and southern Iraq.
“While the situation in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq is less severe, the region still faces significant challenges. For instance, underground water levels in Erbil have dropped drastically over the past two decades, declining from 200 meters in 2003 to an alarming 700 meters last year,” she noted.
The Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Ninth Cabinet has prioritized ensuring water security for the Kurdistan Region and has built several dams and ponds with the aim to sustain water resources amid the increasing impact of climate change and droughts.
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She added that, to deal with these issues, the KRG under the leadership of Prime Minister Barzani has already built ponds, dams, and reservoirs.
