Arab ministers in charge of environmental affairs will hold their 26th session in Jeddah starting Sunday. More than 30 regional and international non-government environment organizations will also attend the meeting.

Abdulaziz Al-Jasser, chairman of the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME), said the ministers would discuss a number of important issues including the increasing desert area in the Arab world, joint cooperation and the dumping of dangerous garbage.

He said the ministers would also follow up the implementation of the decisions of the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg in 2002 and the UN Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.

Al-Jasser said the meeting would discuss the indicators of environment and sustainable development in the Arab countries.

“The ministers will also review the activities of the Arab, regional and international environment organizations who are partners of the Council of the Arab Ministers in charge of environment,” he said.

He said the ministers would follow up the inter-Arab agreements on the dumping of chemical garbage and dangerous materials in addition to the biological diversities.

Al-Jasser said the ministers will discuss preparations for the first UN General Assembly session on environment and will also debate the common Arab strategy to combat natural disasters.

Hussain Al-Qahtani, PME spokesman, said the ministers will discuss a project to establish an Arab federation for natural game reserves.

“The changing climate will also be an issue before the ministers,” he said.

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