The Middle East needs a Levant-North African Environmental Forum
Men clean a beach in the aftermath of an oil spill that drenched much of the Mediterranean shoreline in Tyre nature reserve, Lebanon February 27, 2021. REUTERS/Aziz Taher
As the Joe Biden administration looks to address the climate crisis while playing an active role in promoting peace in the Middle East, it is worth considering supporting local actors in the region in their common fight against climate change. The appointment of John Kerry, who is very familiar with the region, as Special Presidential Envoy for Climate is an important step in this regard. Working with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Kerry may wish to consider playing a leadership role in tackling some of the greatest climate change-related challenges in the Middle East while fostering local cooperation. This would align firmly with the Biden administration’s commitment to fighting climate change at home and abroad and to building new bridges