The Union of Arab Chambers participated in the consultative meeting on the environmental dimension of the sustainable development plan, which was held in Cairo on February 25-26, 2025, organized by the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) and the League of Arab States, in cooperation with the United Nations Environment Program.
This participation comes within the framework of the Union of Arab Chambers' commitment to supporting sustainable development efforts in the Arab region and enhancing the role of the private sector in achieving its goals. The meeting aimed to discuss innovative and science-based environmental solutions to enhance the implementation of the sustainable development goals in the Arab region, which is an important step towards enhancing regional cooperation and exchanging best practices to address pressing environmental challenges, with a focus on the five sustainable development goals that are under review this year, including health, gender equality, economic growth, life below water, and global partnerships.
During the meeting, Dr. Najoua Zhar, Sustainable Development Expert at the Union of Arab Chambers, gave a detailed presentation entitled "Environmental, Social and Governance Standards: An Effective Mechanism for Financing and Accelerating the Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals." She highlighted that these standards represent a set of key indicators for evaluating the performance of companies and institutions in three vital areas: environment, society and governance. She stressed that integrating these standards into regional development strategies is essential to attracting responsible investments and directing capital towards projects that have a long-term positive impact on the environment and society. She also indicated that financing is the main nerve to achieve sustainable development, which requires mobilizing public and private sector resources through innovative financing tools such as green and social bonds, and sustainability-linked loans. The main outcomes of the meeting will contribute to shaping the regional recommendations that will be presented to the Arab Forum for Sustainable Development, reflecting a clear commitment to promoting sustainability in the Arab region.
Source (Union of Arab Chambers)
