BEIRUT (Enmaeya News) — September 19, 2025

The Arab region took a major step toward conserving biodiversity and strengthening climate resilience with the launch of the Arab Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Biodiversity Finance Sept. 17-18.

The forum, organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), opened at the United Nations House in Beirut and brought together senior officials from Arab ministries of environment, agriculture, and energy, along with regional and international partners.

The event aims to explore ways to align national and international financing for biodiversity, promote nature-based solutions, and address critical challenges such as land degradation, renewable energy integration, and climate adaptation.

Opening remarks were delivered by Lebanon’s Minister of Environment Tamara Zein, ESCWA Executive Secretary Rola Dashti, and senior representatives from Colombia, Brazil, and the League of Arab States.

Zein highlighted that the Arab region faces common challenges, including conflicts, displacement, drought, and pollution. She said, “By launching the right mechanisms and reducing risks associated with nature-based investments, we can move from crisis to recovery, and from fragmentation to reconstruction.”

The forum is part of ESCWA’s Multi-Stakeholder Platform for Biodiversity, launched in 2023 with support from the Swedish government. It focuses on three key areas: nature-based solutions for climate resilience, land degradation in arid agricultural systems, and the link between renewable energy and biodiversity.

Speakers stressed that investing in biodiversity is not only an environmental necessity but also a pathway to sustainable development and climate resilience. Over the next two days, the forum will discuss regional biodiversity priorities, innovative financing strategies, and joint projects developed by the platform’s working groups, aiming to scale solutions and strengthen regional cooperation.