The Conference of Environment Ministers in the Islamic World issued the Jeddah Declaration on Towards Green Transformation in the Islamic World.
The ministers and delegates expressed their sincere appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for hosting the conference. The Declaration also included many recommendations for protecting the environment, mitigating the impacts of climate change, reducing land degradation and loss of biodiversity, and achieving sustainable urban development.
The declaration stressed the importance of collaborating with stakeholders to execute the conference's resolutions as well as the commitment to support the Saudi Green Initiative & Middle East Green Initiative. It reaffirmed the obligation to carry out environmental agreements and protocols, according to the capacities and situations of each country while boosting their capability to adapt to the significant impacts of major environmental challenges
The Jeddah Declaration strongly denounced the tragic events that unfolded against the Palestinian people, particularly in the Gaza Strip and its surroundings. It condemned the military escalation, civilian casualties, and the destruction of the environment and the essentials of life. The Declaration called on the international community to assume its responsibilities and move quickly to prevent environmental, health, and humanitarian catastrophes, as well as the further loss of innocent lives in the Strip.
The declaration reaffirmed the pledge to undertake actions to address environmental issues in the Islamic world, including green transformation and intelligent urban development. Additionally, the declaration urged member states, and regional, and international organizations to participate in the 28th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 28), which will be hosted by the United Arab Emirates this year. It also calls for participation in the sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 16), as well as the events aligned with World Environment Day, which the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will host in 2024.
The Declaration also supported the Climate/Refugee Nexus Initiative launched by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and Welcomed the outcomes of COP27 which was held in Egypt.
The statement encompasses the promotion of a sustainable green economy and fostering partnerships with stakeholders to carry out the conference's resolutions. Additionally, it entails the preparation of a report on the execution of these resolutions, which will be submitted to the Tenth Session of the conference.
The conference participants expressed their gratitude and appreciation by sending two messages of gratitude to King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince.
The Director-General of ISESCO, Dr. Salem Al-Malik commended the sense of responsibility and cooperation throughout the conference discussions. He emphasized ISESCO's commitment to implementing the approved programs and projects and underscored that all the recommendations from the Jeddah Declaration have been taken into consideration.