Jordan readies its first policy on climate change

Rehab Abd Almohsen in SciDev.net:  Jordan is set to launch a national policy this month for mitigating and adapting to the impacts of climate change, making it the first Arab country to do so, according to its environment ministry.  The policy, a strategic document, recognises that women and children are particularly affected by climate change, for example because of its impact on food prices and the spread of disease at local and household levels.

Apart from gender considerations, the policy also addresses the status of other vulnerable groups such as poor farmers whose adaptive capacity is low.  The policy assesses the barriers facing climate change adaptation and sets out recommendations for national research priorities, such as water and agriculture.

It is also suggests solutions for a country that the World Bank ranks as the fourth poorest in the world for water resources. "Enhancing connectivity between research and policymaking will lead to better environmental management," Ahmad Al Qatarneh, the secretary-general of the Ministry of Environment tells SciDev.Net.

His ministry has drawn up the policy in cooperation with the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility, a financial mechanism for UN conventions on environment. Al Qatarneh says the policy will include practical examples of adaptation, such as restoring Jordan's second largest river — the heavily polluted Zarqa River— to boost the country's water resources...