Syria’s transitional president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, urged the international community to invest in Syria rather than rely solely on aid, saying, “We offer you partnerships instead of asking for handouts.”
“Our country welcomes investment in renewable energy, sustainable green cities, and flagship public-private partnership projects, within an investment climate safeguarded by the state and its legislation,” al-Sharaa said.
In his speech to the COP30 climate summit in the Brazilian city of Belém on November 6, al-Sharaa said Syria is entering a new phase of environmental action and sustainable development. He noted that the country faces its worst drought in more than six decades, amid heavy economic and social pressures in which “90 percent of Syrians live below the poverty line and more than 15 million people face food insecurity.”
Al-Sharaa opened his remarks by thanking Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and his government for hosting the summit “in the heart of the Amazon rainforest, a symbol of life on our planet,” calling the venue that houses the “lungs of the Earth” a living reminder of “the deep interconnection between humanity and nature.”
He added that Syria “renews its joint commitment with the international community to protect the environment and climate for a safe and sustainable future for our peoples.”
“Our country welcomes investment in renewable energy, sustainable green cities, and flagship public-private partnerships, within an investment climate safeguarded by the state and its legislation.” President Ahmad al-Sharaa
Al-Sharaa explained that Syria, once a green oasis praised by poets, has experienced climate change “in its harshest forms,” facing over recent years “compounded environmental challenges whose impacts accumulated on both people and resources.” These include recurring drought and shrinking water resources, damage to agriculture and food security, and widespread fires and environmental losses made more complex by war-related damage to water and energy infrastructure.
Drought conditions, severe weather, low rainfall, and a short winter season harmed approximately 2.5 million hectares of wheat-cultivated land, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
He noted that large-scale displacement during the war added further strain on resources and services in host areas. Syria this year saw the worst drought in more than six decades, with rainfall down by 70 percent, “turning wheat fields and fertile lands into barren ground,” he said.
According to UN estimates, there were 6.8 million internally displaced people in Syria, some of whom have been displaced multiple times.
Al-Sharaa said Syria recognizes the scale of the climate challenge but believes “the will of peoples can overcome it,” announcing that the government is presenting “a completely different vision for reconstruction,” one that “redefines the relationship between people and the built environment” and establishes new urban systems that are “fair, integrated, and sustainable.”
He added that Syria’s ambitious vision is embodied in a recovery and reconstruction plan that has “already begun through practical policies and programs within a clear green transition framework.” Priorities include renewable energy, river rehabilitation with modern irrigation techniques, building eco-friendly cities, climate-aligned agricultural plans, and placing “environmental education and community action at the heart of plans.”
Al-Sharaa stressed that the latest drought shows “climate challenges are as global as they are local,” reaffirming Syria’s full commitment to international agreements, foremost the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The convention aims to combat “dangerous human interference with the climate system,” in part by stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, ensuring food production is not threatened, and enabling sustainable economic development.
He said the government will “submit National Communications and Nationally Determined Contributions in line with global standards, and complete the designation of focal points and delegates at the Convention secretariat.”
Al-Sharaa also called to “extend bonds of cooperation from the Amazon to the Barada and the Euphrates” (the Barada River runs through Damascus in southwestern Syria), as part of what he described as “the robust cooperation among developing countries that Brazil is capably leading today.”
What is the COP30 climate summit?
COP stands for “Conference of the Parties,” the UN’s annual meeting under the UNFCCC, the international treaty established in 1992 to coordinate global efforts to address climate change.
The convention today includes 198 parties, making it one of the largest multilateral bodies within the UN system.
Each year, parties meet to discuss limiting global warming, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and supporting countries and communities already affected by climate change.
In addition to political leaders, the summit brings together government negotiators, scientists, representatives of Indigenous peoples, youth activists, journalists, environmental organizations, and energy- and environment-focused companies.
It is one of the world’s largest forums, perhaps the only one, that brings the smallest island states and the largest economies to the same table in pursuit of agreements that protect the planet from climate change impacts.
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