DUBAI: Turkish President Recep Tayyip offered Friday to host the United Nations COP31 climate conference in 2026.
Erdogan’s announcement at this year’s gathering in Dubai puts Turkiye in the race against Australia, which announced its candidacy earlier this year.
“We have announced our candidacy to host the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference, to be held in 2026,” Erdogan said.
“I am certain that you, esteemed friends, will provide the essential support in this regard.”
Turkiye in 2021 became the last country among the Group of 20 major economies to ratify the Paris Climate Accords, committing itself to meet the net-zero emissions target by 2053.
The importance of environmental issues soared in Turkiye in the wake of deadly wildfires in 2021 that ravaged large parts of the country’s Aegean and Mediterranean coasts.
“In pursuit of the net-zero emission target, our decarbonization roadmaps for the steel, aluminum, cement, and fertilizer industries have been finalized,” Erdogan said.
“We intend to increase the proportion of renewable energy to 69 percent by 2053.”
Reeling from a massive earthquake that killed more than 50,000 people in February, Turkiye withdrew from hosting a key UN biodiversity meeting in 2024 in order to focus its resources on reconstruction efforts.
Turkiye’s Erdogan offers to host UN climate talks in 2026
https://arab.news/yayfk
Turkiye’s Erdogan offers to host UN climate talks in 2026
- “We have announced our candidacy to host the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference, to be held in 2026,” Erdogan said
- “We intend to increase the proportion of renewable energy to 69 percent by 2053”
Education spending surges 251% as students return from autumn break: SAMA
RIYADH: Education spending in Saudi Arabia surged 251.3 percent in the week ending Dec. 6, reflecting the sharp uptick in purchases as students returned from the autumn break.
According to the latest data from the Saudi Central Bank, expenditure in the sector reached SR218.73 million ($58.2 million), with the number of transactions increasing by 61 percent to 233,000.
Despite this surge, overall point-of-sale spending fell 4.3 percent to SR14.45 billion, while the number of transactions dipped 1.7 percent to 236.18 million week on week.
The week saw mixed changes between the sectors. Spending on freight transport, postal and courier services saw the second-biggest uptick at 33.3 percent to SR60.93 million, followed by medical services, which saw an 8.1 percent increase to SR505.35 million.
Expenditure on apparel and clothing saw a decrease of 16.3 percent, followed by a 2 percent reduction in spending on telecommunication.
Jewelry outlays witnessed an 8.1 percent decline to reach SR325.90 million. Data revealed decreases across many other sectors, led by hotels, which saw the largest dip at 24.5 percent to reach SR335.98 million.
Spending on car rentals in the Kingdom fell by 12.6 percent, while airlines saw a 3.7 percent increase to SR46.28 million.
Expenditure on food and beverages saw a 1.7 percent increase to SR2.35 billion, claiming the largest share of the POS. Restaurants and cafes retained the second position despite a 12.6 percent dip to SR1.66 billion.
Saudi Arabia’s key urban centers mirrored the national decline. Riyadh, which accounted for the largest share of total POS spending, saw a 3.9 percent dip to SR4.89 billion, down from SR5.08 billion the previous week.
The number of transactions in the capital settled at 74.16 million, down 1.4 percent week on week.
In Jeddah, transaction values decreased by 5.9 percent to SR1.91 billion, while Dammam reported a 0.8 percent surge to SR713.71 million.
POS data, tracked weekly by SAMA, provides an indicator of consumer spending trends and the ongoing growth of digital payments in Saudi Arabia.
The data also highlights the expanding reach of POS infrastructure, extending beyond major retail hubs to smaller cities and service sectors, supporting broader digital inclusion initiatives.
The growth of digital payment technologies aligns with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 objectives, promoting electronic transactions and contributing to the nation’s broader digital economy.
