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AMMAN — The US embassy in Jordan, head of the Eco Capital Forum, on Wednesday declared Amman as the first Eco Capital in the Middle East.
The Eco Capital Forum in Amman was launched during a ceremony attended by Ambassador Yael Lempert and ambassadors and representatives from diplomatic missions worldwide at Al Hussein Cultural Centre.
The forum aims to coordinate the efforts of diplomatic missions and international organisations in bolstering Jordan's environmental sector.
It is being carried out through promoting sustainability initiatives, fostering greener practices within Amman, mitigating the impact of global warming and combating the consequences of climate change.
The partnership between the Greater Amman Municipality and diplomatic missions in the Eco Capital Forum represents a unique opportunity to position Amman as the first environmental capital in the MENA region and the fifth globally, joining Washington, Bangkok, Paris and Rome, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.
Lempert, during the event, signed a pledge on behalf of diplomatic missions in Jordan to partner with the Greater Amman Municipality in promoting greening initiatives that reduce carbon footprint to create a greener and cleaner Amman for all who call this city home, according to a statement posted on the US embassy’s Facebook page.
The US embassy in Amman is leading these greening initiatives by installing air quality monitoring systems, utilising solar panelling to power 13 per cent of the embassy needs, and reducing the mission’s energy consumption by up to 20 per cent per month.
Besides the US embassy, the missions representing Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, South Korea, Sweden and Ukraine, also engaged in the pledge.
The Eco Capital Forum, originally initiated in 2010 in Washington, DC, is a global initiative led by US embassies in collaboration with diplomatic organisations and international networks. It aims to tackle global environmental challenges and support host cities in their journey towards sustainability.