Amman: His Majesty King Abdullah II chaired a pivotal meeting to evaluate government initiatives and strategies in the realm of green and climate finance. During this meeting, he instructed the government to collaborate with the private sector to develop a comprehensive and unified national strategy on climate finance, as reported by the Royal Hashemite Court.
According to Jordan News Agency, during the session, which was also attended by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, the King highlighted the importance of technical support programs. These programs are deemed crucial for enabling both public and private sectors to effectively utilize available climate finance and carbon-reduction tools. His Majesty emphasized that these efforts are vital for fostering best practices aimed at achieving both local and global environmental and climate targets.
The King further stressed that climate finance plays a fundamental role in advancing environmental objectives and ensuring long-term sustainable development. The meeting included a briefing from the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Zeina Toukan, who detailed Jordan's advancements in climate finance. Notably, Jordan secured $295 million in funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) for the National Water Conveyance Project, marking the largest GCF funding granted to a single project. Additionally, Jordan has been chosen as the host country for the GCF's regional office covering the Middle East, Central Asia, and Eastern Europe.
Green finance is focused on directing resources towards economic activities that aid in environmental protection and pollution reduction. In contrast, climate finance is dedicated to addressing climate change, reducing emissions, and adapting to its impacts, all of which significantly contribute to sustainable development goals.
The meeting was also attended by Prime Minister Jafar Hassan, Director of the Office of His Majesty Alaa Batayneh, and Minister of Environment Ayman Suleiman.