Roundtable on Climate Policy in the Gulf States

Mari Luomi, expert for climate policy in the Gulf States and researcher at the Georgetown University in Qatar, on the perspectives of the 18th UN Climate Negotiations and the role of hosting country Qatar. The roundtable meeting was organised by the Federal Foreign Office and adelphi.

The 18th Conference of the Parties (COP 18) will be taking place in Doha from November 26 to December 7, and is considered a crucial milestone on the path towards a successful global climate agreement by 2015. In the past the Gulf States, especially Saudi Arabia, have hampered ambitious climate change mitigation targets. Being dependent on oil and gas exports, they have demanded financial support as compensation for losses and for the exploration of carbon capture and storage technologies.

The roundtable meeting with Mari Luomi revealed that the discussion on climate protection and energy security especially in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates is more dynamic. The focus is shifting towards the positive aspects of renewable energies and the challenges of food security that need to be addressed. Chances are increasing that COP 18 in Qatar could initiate a constructive dialogue with the oil producing countries. Climate expert Mari Luomi stressed the fact that Qatar regards itself as neutral mediator. Failure is not an option for international climate negotiations, and neither is it for the hosting country.

For further information:
http://unfccc.int/2860.p…