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Middle East Green Initiative Summit: Recap on the live coverage from Riyadh

World leaders have gathered in Riyadh to discuss climate issues ahead of Cop26

Thursday 28 October 2021 20:16 BST
Watch live as world leaders attend the Middle East Green Initiative in Riyadh

Saudi Arabia is hosting the Middle East Green Initiative (MGI) Summit in Riyadh today (25 October).

The Summit is an extension of the inaugural Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) Forum and the ancillary event, Youth Green Summit, both addressing Saudi Arabia’s climate pledges as well as the initiatives that will shape the country’s sustainable future.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched SGI Forum on 23 October by doubling the targets set for reducing carbon emissions, as well as setting out goals for increasing protected areas in Saudi Arabia to 30 per cent and planting 10 billion trees.

As part of the MGI Summit, the crown prince will be building on the pledges and discussions that have taken place in the previous two days by welcoming contributions from heads of state from around the world.

The Independent is reporting live from Riyadh.

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The Middle East Green Initiative Summit is being live streamed.

Follow via The Independent’s live blog or watch the feed below:

Watch live as world leaders attend the Middle East Green Initiative in Riyadh
Independent Reporter25 October 2021 14:41
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Ahead of this weekend’s climate events, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said: “The Saudi and Middle East Green Initiatives are only a start.

“The Kingdom, the region and the world needs to go much further and faster in combating climate change.

“Beginning this journey to a greener future has not been easy, but we are not avoiding tough choices. We reject the false choice between preserving the economy and protecting the environment.”

Indeed, the country’s minister of energy, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, confirmed during the SGI Forum on 23 October that it will become an annual event.

Independent Reporter25 October 2021 14:54
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Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has launched the MGI Summit with an address to the delegates, which includes many regional and international heads of state.

Declaring that today it is the beginning of a new “green era”, the Crown Prince stressed the importance of working together with regional partners to achieve their collective climate pledges.

These will not only benefit the environment but also work from an economic perspective.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at MGI Summit

Independent Reporter25 October 2021 15:14
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After the opening address, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman handed the floor to other heads of state, starting with the Kuwaiti Crown Prince Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

Crown Prince Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah said that Kuwait is committed to climate action in the region.

He said: “Kuwait will never neglect its duties in this context.”

The Crown Prince also called on leaders from other regions of the world to do the same.

Independent Reporter25 October 2021 15:23
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Kuwait’s Crown Prince Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah echoed the sentiments of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

He said: “Kuwait has a vision that confirms that the future of humanity lies within the green solutions, the governance of natural resources and the importance of linking individual efforts to the regional and international initiatives.

“And this is what Kuwait is trying to achieve through the participation of the summit.”

Independent Reporter25 October 2021 15:34
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Next to speak is Crown Prince of Jordan Hussein bin Abdullah II.

Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah II called the climate issue the “most urgent challenge of our time”.

He added: “Unfortunately, this challenge fails to receive the level of attention it demands even though all three of the monotheistic religions consider protecting the environment to be a matter of faith.”

The Crown Prince went on to express that he hopes the outcomes of the Summit will extend beyond the Middle East region because the effects of climate change “knows no borders”.

Independent Reporter25 October 2021 15:41
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While launching the MGI Summit earlier, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman declared it the beginning of a new “green era”.

Watch the clip here:

Saudi Crown Prince says Kingdom is entering a ‘green era’
Independent Reporter25 October 2021 15:50
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The Prime Minister of Algeria Aymen Benabderrahmane, the Prime Minister of Morocco Aziz Akhannouch, Tunisian Prime Minister Najla Boden and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan were among those lending their support to the Middle East Green Initiative at the Summit.

The Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Alexander Novak also spoke at the event.

The leaders each discussed some of the individual challenges facing their countries as a result of climate change, including wildfires, droughts and soaring temperatures, as well as the initiatives they’ve introduced to counter these.

Imran Khan said that the world has been in “self denial” about the climate crises.

World has been in ‘self-denial’ about climate crisis, says Pakistan PM
Independent Reporter25 October 2021 16:10
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While launching the Middle East Green Initiative Summit earlier, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called the event the start of a “new green era”.

The Crown Prince said Saudi Arabia will establish an investment fund for the circular carbon economy, as well as an international economic initiative to provide food for over 750 million people across the world with a budget of over 930m riyals (£180m).

The region’s plans to reduce carbon emissions from hydrocarbon production by more than 60 per cent will reduce emissions by more than 10 per cent of overall global contributions.

It will also include the world’s largest reforestation programme, where 50 billion trees will be planted across the region, restoring an area equivalent to 200 million hectares of degraded land.

This is 5 per cent of global targets, and would reduce global carbon levels by 2.5 per cent.

Read the full story here:

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announces green era

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called for regional programmes to reduce carbon emissions at the Middle East Green Initiative in Riyadh on 25 October

Independent Reporter25 October 2021 16:17
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Dr Ali Allawi, Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, admitted that the country has made some mistakes with its climate policies in the past but now it’s committed to a greener future.

He said: “We have no choice but to work together in order to focus on this challenge and work together to create nature based solutions.”

The minister added: “We will always be ready to work with you in order to stop climate change from negatively impacting our society.”

Independent Reporter25 October 2021 16:33

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