The Second Islamic Conference of Ministers of Environment
Date: 13-15 December 2006
Venue: Jeddah - Saudi Arabia

The Second Islamic Conference of Ministers of Environment was held in Jeddah, on 13-15 December 2006. Dr. Savas Alpay, Director General, represented the Centre thereat.

After the adoption of the Draft Agenda and Programme, the Conference discussed various reports on its agenda together with some specialised projects such as the General Framework on Natural Disasters Management, the Project of Establishing an Environment Information Centre, the Project of Establishing the Islamic Environment Network and the Project of Establishing a Specialised Islamic Body for the Environment. The Centre contributed to the Conference with three studies titled “Environmental Sustainability in the OIC Member Countries”, “Environmental Performance of the OIC Member Countries”, and “Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol: Implications for the OIC Member Countries”. The first paper analyses the environmental prospects of the OIC countries in the light of the data and information provided in the Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI) 2005 prepared jointly by Yale University, Columbia University, World Economic Forum and the European Commission. The second identifies the current performances of the OIC countries in core environmental issues such as air pollution, land protection and greenhouse gas emissions in the light of the data and information taken from the Pilot 2006 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) prepared and published by Yale University’s Environment School and the Earth Institute at Columbia University in collaboration with the World Economic Forum and the European Commission. The third reviews the risks and implications of climate change and the international response to global warming with a focus on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UN FCCC). In light of this review, the paper examines the situation in the OIC countries in terms of their position in this debate, their recent state of greenhouse gas emissions, their rankings within the Climate Change Index (CCI) and the economic implications of their ratifying the Kyoto Protocol.

At the Closing Session of the Conference, the Ministers adopted the Jeddah Commitments for Sustainable Development whereby the OIC Member States assert their resolve to work towards implementing as well as providing appropriate means and conditions and coordinating with the competent authorities in the Member States for the fulfilment of a number of commitments including: formulating a common, integrated Islamic strategy for sustainable development, combating illiteracy, poverty and unemployment, and improving the quality of life for Muslim peoples; improving and generalising the level of health services; developing educational services and supporting capacities in the field of education and transfer of technology; supporting participation of women, the youth and civil society in sustainable development; preserving and rationalising water resources; preserving soil, land and biodiversity; taking interest in the quality of air, energy and the impact of climate change; encouraging production and sustainable consumption; and updating and enforcing special legislation.