by Hana Namrouqa | Mar 04,2012
AMMAN — Jordan and the US on Sunday signed a work plan communiqué on environmental cooperation, which is intended to promote green growth, sustainable development and job creation in the Kingdom.
The work plan communiqué was signed at the US-Jordan Joint Forum on Environmental Technical Cooperation, during which Jordanian and American environmental experts and officials discussed bilateral cooperation in environmental protection.
During the opening ceremony yesterday, Minister of Environment Yaseen Khayyat said the work plan promotes four priority areas: enforcement of environmental laws, biodiversity conservation, private sector environmental performance and environmental education.
The joint forum was established in 2000 under the US-Jordan Free Trade Agreement, with the aim of ensuring sustainable development while boosting economic growth.
Khayyat noted that the forum promotes the exchange of information and expertise, strengthens the enforcement of environment laws, and enhances the participation of the private sector and civil society in drafting climate change-related laws.
Daniel Clune, principal deputy assistant secretary of state for ocean, international environmental and scientific affairs at the US State Department, said Jordan has achieved milestones in environment protection.
He noted that since the signing of the FTA between the two countries, Jordan has established an environment ministry, phased out the use of leaded fuel and created the Rangers, among other achievements.
“Jordan also became the first country in the Middle East to join the Global Methane Initiative (GMI),” Clune added.
The Kingdom, which became a partner country and was welcomed into the GMI last April, will participate in the agriculture and landfill subcommittees as well as the wastewater task force, according to the GMI website.
http://jordantimes.com/jordan-us-sign-environmental-work-plan-agreement