Deputising for King, Crown Prince participates in Middle East Green Initiative Summit in Saudi Arabia

AMMAN — Deputising for His Majesty King Abdullah, HRH Crown Prince Hussein on Monday participated in the Middle East Green Initiative Summit hosted by Saudi Arabia.

The summit, inaugurated by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who is also deputy prime minister and minister of defence of Saudi Arabia, brings together heads and representatives of governments and international organisations, with the goal of enhancing cooperation to implement joint commitments to counter climate change, according to a Royal Court statement.

In remarks at the summit, Crown Prince Hussein said climate change is “the most urgent challenge of our time”, but it does not receive the level of attention it demands.

“The three major monotheistic religions all consider protecting the environment to be a matter of faith. Islam, for example, asks us to refrain from cutting down trees, wasting water, or even hunting outside of prescribed seasons,” His Royal Highness said.

The Crown Prince voiced hope that the outcomes of the summit will extend beyond the region’s borders.

“In Jordan, we face a number of climate challenges, chief amongst them is water scarcity. Our resources have been severely strained after welcoming consecutive waves of refugees over the past decade,” His Royal Highness said.

“Nonetheless, we have not lost sight of the importance of safeguarding our environment. Our 2021-2025 Green Growth National Action Plan covers multiple sectors, including agriculture, energy, water, and waste management,” the Crown Prince continued.

His Royal Highness said Jordan’s 2030 nationally determined contributions signal the Kingdom’s commitment to serving as a regional and global partner in efforts to counter climate change and mitigate its impact.

“In our region, there is plenty of grounds for optimism. For example, green projects springing up in Saudi Arabia have the potential to create major opportunities for the private sector and hundreds of thousands of jobs, all while safeguarding the environment,” the Crown Prince added.

His Royal Highness also stressed the need to agree on government policies to counter the impact of climate change by implementing modern, water-saving farming practices, accelerating the shift towards renewable energy, promoting the use of electric vehicles, and converting waste into an energy source.

“We must also not forget the urgent need to reframe common perceptions of this challenge. So, let us develop educational systems that will contribute solutions to counteract this global phenomenon,” the Crown Prince said, stressing that “we owe as much to current and future generations.”

His Royal Highness also thanked Saudi Arabia, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman Bin Abdulaziz, and Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman for organising the summit.

In remarks at the opening of the summit, the Saudi crown prince stressed the need to coordinate efforts and bridge gaps in regional action to combat climate change, noting the importance of exchanging expertise and technologies to ensure successful implementation.

Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh, Environment Minister Muawieh Radaideh, Jordan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ali Al Kayed, and Director of the Office of the Crown Prince Mustafa Khalifeh attended the summit’s opening session.