Conservation requires global efforts: Brunei sultan

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah speaking duing a G20 Summit session.- INFOFOTO

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Borneo Bulletin/Asia News Network): The conservation and protection of the environment requires not only a “whole-of-nation” approach but also a “whole-of-world” approach.

This was said by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah in a speech delivered at the second session of the G20 Summit as ‘Guest of the Chair’.

At the event, which focussed on climate change and environment, His Majesty reiterated Asean’s commitment at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in implementing the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement, and called on developed countries to support the strengthening of adaptation and mitigation actions by developing countries through finance, technology development and transfer, and capacity-building.

The monarch also said Asean is transitioning into a circular economy and welcomed sharing of best practices in the G20 including through the G20’s Resource Efficiency Dialogues. As such, it is important to involve the youth in policy-making, as future leaders and inheritors of this planet.

The sultan also delivered a sepeech at the third session of summit on sustainable development, during which he highlighted that progress in fully realising the 2030 agenda has been impacted by Covid-19, and thus the pandemic needs to be tackled in order to advance work on sustainable development goals (SDGs).

The cross-sectoral nature of the goals and targets, underlined His Majesty, require national support as well as regional and international cooperation.

His Majesty also shared that Asean established the Strategic and Holistic Initiative to Link Asean Responses to Emergencies and Disasters (SHIELD) initiative to enhance the region’s preparedness against future crises and help keep Asean on track in meeting its SDGs.

At the end of the summit, the leaders endorsed the G20 Rome Leaders’ Declaration.

On Saturday evening, the sultan attended the G20 Leaders’ and Partners Dinner hosted by President of the Republic of Italy Sergio Mattarella at Palazzo del Quirinale.