NNA -nbsp;nbsp;Innbsp;the context of thenbsp;ldquo;Resilient Water Solutions Against Climate Change in Jordan and Lebanonrdquo;nbsp;project,nbsp;led bynbsp;the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat),nbsp;in partnership with thenbsp;United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)nbsp;andnbsp;United Nationsnbsp;Childrenrsquo;s Fundnbsp;(UNICEF)nbsp;and national executing entities,nbsp;thenbsp;secondnbsp;Regionalnbsp;Steeringnbsp;Committee meetingnbsp;innbsp;Jordannbsp;was held on 3 October, followed by visits to project sites on 4 Octobernbsp;2023.
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Chaired by thenbsp;Jordanian Minister of Environmentnbsp;Dr.nbsp;MuawiehKhalidnbsp;Radaidehnbsp;and Lebanese Minister of Environmentnbsp;Dr.nbsp;Nasser Yassin, thenbsp;Committeenbsp;meetingnbsp;gatherednbsp;the projectrsquo;s national coordinators, local authorities, project partnersnbsp;and other relevant stakeholders.nbsp;Thenbsp;Committeenbsp;discussednbsp;projectprogress,nbsp;milestones,nbsp;challenges,nbsp;andnbsp;solutions, andnbsp;operationalized a concrete platform for critical regional learning in both countries towards climate change adaptation solutions.nbsp;
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The meeting provided critical insight into the areas where regional exchange is mostly needed, with a focus on the two countries, and concluded with measures to further enhance the transfer of knowledge and experiences gained through project implementation. It also concluded with concrete entry points to promote the upscaling, replication and sustainability of the project, and served as a practical learning experience between Lebanese and Jordanian officials while visiting two wastewater treatment and reuse projects in Mafraq andnbsp;Mersquo;rad, a permaculture site at Jerash University, and the Urban Observatory of Greater Amman Municipality.
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In his remarks,nbsp;Radiadehnbsp;highlighted climate impacts on Jordan.nbsp;ldquo;Thenbsp;climate-related challenges facing the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan arenbsp;significanthellip;nbsp;rainfall rates have decreased by almost half over the past fifty years, while the share of water per capita has decreased by nearly 80%.nbsp;Over the years,nbsp;it has also become clear that climate changenbsp;wouldnbsp;impact various development sectors, including water, agriculture, urban areas, health, and society as a whole,rdquo;nbsp;saidnbsp;Radaideh. ldquo;This meeting comes within the context of ensuring the effective implementation of the project, discussing the progression of project activities and benefiting from the diverse experiences in both countries, and working collaboratively to achieve the projectrsquo;s objectives.rdquo;
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Meanwhile, Yassin emphasized the importance of regional collaboration to adapt to climatenbsp;change andnbsp;stressed the importance of international funding. ldquo;Joint efforts amongst Arab states to combat climate change and its implications on the water sector are of utmost importance. There is a need to promote and adopt innovative measures in different sectors such as water, agriculture, management of forests and natural reserves,rdquo;nbsp;said Yassin. ldquo;There is an unfulfilled commitment of industrial countries to fund adaptation projects in underdeveloped countries, where pledges committed during different climate summits have not reached 6%nbsp;of the total commitments,rdquo;nbsp;he added.
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UN-Habitat Regional Representativenbsp;(a.i.)nbsp;for Arab Statesnbsp;Rania Hedayanbsp;highlighted water scarcity amid displacement and increased urbanization in the Levant.nbsp;ldquo;Water scarcitynbsp;isnbsp;one of the most pressing currentnbsp;issuesnbsp;causingnbsp;concern for the future of our region. In addition to the effects of climate change, the Arab region is witnessing rapid urbanization accompanied by a large influx of refugees due to the spread of conflicts in the region. As our cities expand,nbsp;this projectrsquo;s interventions strivenbsp;toaddress the complex interaction between urban growth, migration and climate changenbsp;in both Jordan and Lebanon,rdquo;nbsp;shenbsp;said.
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ldquo;For Jordan and Lebanon, climate change is exacerbating vulnerability in rural and urban communities and in formal and informal communities alike,rdquo;nbsp;said Director of thenbsp;Arab Centre for Climate Change Policiesnbsp;Cluster at ESCWAnbsp;Ms.nbsp;Carol Chouchani Cherfane.nbsp;ldquo;This requires effective solutions that advance climate adaptation,rdquo; she stressed. ldquo;Your efforts identifying, testing and pursuing these solutions on the ground can be shared with others in the region and around the world.rdquo;
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The projectnbsp;provides replicable andnbsp;innovative measures to promote climate change resiliencenbsp;and adaptation in the Arab region,nbsp;with a focus onnbsp;promotingnbsp;climate change and gender mainstreamed urban planning in areas facing extreme weather events, namely governorates ofnbsp;Mafraq and Irbidnbsp;in Jordan andZahle district in Lebanon.
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Financed by the Adaptation Fund, the projectnbsp;works on enabling local communities to adapt tonbsp;increasing temperatures and declining precipitation levels that mostly lead to droughts, in addition to the varying rainfall patterns, which negatively affect agriculture. Finally, the project focuses on thenbsp;sustainable management and use of water resources through promoting water-efficient irrigation methods and permaculture, in addition to using non-conventional water sources, such as treated wastewater and harvested rainwater.nbsp;
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To promote regional knowledge exchange, thenbsp;projectnbsp;also recentlynbsp;launched the virtual Community of Practice (CoP) ldquo;Urban Water and Climate Resilience in the Arab Region,rdquo;nbsp;anbsp;platform that brings experts and practitioners together to discusswater-related climate change impacts on cities hosting displaced communities, including discussions around urban adaptation solutions. — UNICnbsp;
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