COP26 regional ambassador visits Jordan  ahead of landmark climate change conference 

AMMAN — The UK’s COP26 Regional Ambassador for the Middle East and Africa, Janet Rogan, visited Amman on May 22-26 to discuss Jordan’s follow-up to COP 26 and plans for COP 27 due to take place in Egypt in November 2022. 

Rogan met the Minister of Environment Muawieh Radaideh,  Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Nasser Shraideh and senior officials at the Royal Hashemite Court, according to a statement made available to The Jordan Times. 

She also met with youth climate ambassadors and visited the site of a planned waste-water plant in Irbid, speaking with stakeholders to understand the importance of the project.  Rogan attended the Global Land Conference at the Dead Sea to discuss the importance of adaptation to climate smart agriculture and building resilience which will be core themes at COP27.  

Rogan discussed implementation of the Nationally Determined Contribution, the progress of the National Adaptation Plan and Jordan’s preparations ahead of the Convention for Biological Diversity (CBD) COP15 in Kunming and UNFCCC COP 27 in Sharm El Sheikh. 

In her meetings with stakeholders and officials in Irbid, Rogan discussed the need for water adaptation at the local level and the role of the community in promoting water efficiency.  In a roundtable discussion with students and early career researchers, Rogan encouraged students and researchers to bring innovations to climate adaptation solutions 

Commenting on these meetings and her follow up visit to Jordan, Ambassador Rogan said:  “COP 26 was significant because the world moved from discussion of the details of the Paris Agreement into implementation.   Jordan submitted a strengthened Nationally Determined Contribution and is now moving to implement the National Adaptation Plan. Managing greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture and other industrial and economic activities requires collaborative effort between government, private sector and consumers. Adapting to climate-resilient agriculture, water and energy systems can help create green jobs and strengthen the ability of people living in Jordan to cope with future crises.