OAPEC Chief Stresses Need for Energy and Climate Balance

KUWAIT CITY: Secretary General of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC), Jamal Al-Loughan, emphasized the importance of balancing energy security with climate change mitigation. His remarks were made during a two-day meeting of environmental and climate change experts in Kuwait. According to Kuwait News Agency, Al-Loughan highlighted the necessity for member states to adopt a comprehensive and equitable strategy that involves utilizing all available energy sources and technologies to address future energy needs. He underscored the OAPEC Secretariat's commitment to organizing these meetings in advance of the annual Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The aim is to prepare and refine Arab negotiation positions for the upcoming COP 29 conference, scheduled to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, in mid-November. Al-Loughan pointed out the importance of this meeting, noting that it provides an opportunity for participants to assess an d deliberate on issues that require coordination, especially among the committees and taskforces associated with the Paris Agreement.