Climate crisis in Oman

Khalid Mohammed Al Balushi, Acting Director-General of Climate Change at Oman’s Environment Authority, said in an exclusive interview with Yeni Şafak at COP31 that Oman is working to keep the negotiations away from fossil fuels, arguing that such a focus runs against the Paris Agreement.

“The Paris Agreement is more focused on combating emissions, not dealing with energy sources or emission sources,” Al Balushi said.

He said Oman is supporting the Turkish presidency so that its initiatives succeed. “Oman and Türkiye have strong relations on a governmental basis. There are lots of state visits between both countries, and I think we have good coordination between the two governments,” he said.

Al Balushi said Oman has set out a clear climate agenda through its net zero roadmap for 2050 and its national adaptation strategy. These cover mitigation, adaptation, clean technology and capacity building, and assign each government entity its own actions.

He said Oman has faced many climate impacts over the past 20 years, including cyclones, extreme weather, high temperatures and droughts. Rainfall of around 100 millimetres now falls in 30 or 40 minutes, he said, an amount that a decade ago fell over a full day.

The resulting flash floods require extensive adaptation, he said, so the national strategy focuses on protecting infrastructure, urban, residential and commercial areas, and ports.