Minister Al-Faleh: Kuwait Continues to Consolidate Sustainability and Enhance Joint Arab Environmental Action

State Minister for Development and Sustainability, Dr. Reem Al-Faleh, affirmed that the State of Kuwait is advancing the entrenchment of sustainability within an integrated national framework, while simultaneously supporting the transition of joint Arab environmental action from a phase of coordination and exchange of views to the implementation of measurable, practical programs and initiatives that yield tangible impacts across Arab countries.

This statement was made in Kuwait’s address on Thursday before the 37th session of the Council of Arab Ministers Responsible for Environmental Affairs, held at the headquarters of the Arab League Secretariat in Cairo, with the participation of ministers and senior officials concerned with environmental affairs from Arab countries.

Al-Faleh stated that, in line with the high directives of His Highness the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (may God protect and guard him), and His Highness the Crown Prince, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah (may God protect and guard him), Kuwait continues to support the trajectory of joint Arab action and to expand the scope of cooperation and integration in environmental protection, combating climate change, and achieving sustainable development goals.

She added that the environment is no longer a separate sectoral issue, but has become an integral part of the national and regional security framework and a cornerstone of economic and social development, given its linkages to safeguarding human health, preserving natural resources, and ensuring the rights of future generations.

Al-Faleh outlined the key steps taken by the State of Kuwait during 2026, noting the establishment of a dedicated Ministry for Development and Sustainability, which oversees relevant authorities in the fields of environment, agriculture, and food security. This move enhances institutional integration and consolidates the concept of sustainability as a comprehensive national pathway.

She clarified that the Council of Ministers has approved the first unified government framework for environmental sustainability reports, which annually measures the performance of government entities through 14 national indicators. The results are compiled into a national environmental performance report, thereby enhancing transparency and governance and linking environmental policies and programs to measurable and monitorable indicators.

On the issue of climate change, Al-Faleh stated that Kuwait is implementing its National Roadmap for Low-Carbon Development 2060, which aims to achieve carbon neutrality in the oil and gas sector by 2050, with the goal of reaching carbon neutrality across the rest of the country’s sectors by 2060.

She added that Kuwait has trained its first cohort of national negotiators specialized in climate change, comprising approximately 100 negotiators from various scientific and legal disciplines, alongside continuing partnerships with the private sector to expand renewable energy and energy storage projects.

She emphasized the necessity of strengthening Arab solidarity and coordination in regional and international forums, reflecting the priorities, developmental needs, and specificities of the Arab region, and supporting the right of Arab states to achieve a just and balanced transition toward more sustainable economies, while taking into account differences in national conditions, capacities, and resources.

She underscored the importance of directing Arab cooperation toward sectors with direct impact, including the green and circular economy, desertification control, biodiversity and marine environment protection, air quality improvement, and integrated waste management, as well as leveraging scientific research, modern technologies, and nature-based solutions.

Al-Faleh concluded that the true benchmark for the success of joint Arab environmental action lies in “our ability to transform recommendations into policies, policies into programs, and programs into real impact that Arab citizens can feel, preserving our nations’ resources and capabilities and enhancing their resilience and adaptability.”

Al-Faleh congratulated the sisterly Republic of Yemen on assuming the presidency of the current session, and expressed appreciation for the sisterly Islamic Republic of Mauritania for its efforts during its tenure as president of the previous session, as well as for the Arab League Secretariat for its role in supporting the framework of joint Arab environmental action.