Saudi Arabia on Wednesday stressed the need for balanced outcomes for all parties and stakeholders at the UN Climate Change Conference — COP19/CMP9 — in Warsaw, Poland.

Ali Al-Naimi, minister of petroleum and mineral resources, addressed the conference Wednesday, reiterating Saudi Arabia’s commitment to sustainable development. He underlined the need for all parties to work toward a comprehensive and balanced convention in 2015 that is aimed at establishing a post-2020 global climate treaty.

Al-Naimi outlined various global initiatives the Kingdom is participating in, and the Kingdom’s actions to implement national carbon management, renewable energy and energy efficiency programs that are aligned with — environment, economic, social programs — the three pillars of sustainable development.

Negotiations in Warsaw and during the next COP meeting must build on all issues agreed upon at COP18, held in Doha, including emissions reduction measures, adaptation to climate change, financing, and transfer of technology to developing countries, Al-Naimi said.

He emphasized that actions and outcomes should be based on national development programs, and take into account the conditions, circumstances and national capabilities of each individual country. Joint action should be based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibility, as well as supported by developed countries, which must lead the efforts, he added.

“The (2015) convention should be comprehensive in terms of addressing all greenhouse gases and sectors without shifting the burden of response measures to climate change to developing countries, including oil exporting countries. In this context, all three pillars of sustainable development must be enhanced - environmental, economic and social,” Al-Naimi said in his address.

A new convention extending beyond 2020 must be built on incentives, voluntary and binding at national levels, and more significantly take into account issues and concerns of developing countries for their sustainable development.

Al-Naimi added that Saudi Arabia recognizes the importance of private-public partnership and collaboration in climate activities and international initiatives prior to 2020, including a decision to join the Global Methane Initiative.

Saudi Arabia has been a member of the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum since 2005 and is actively participating in its activities, he added.

He highlighted programs that include a demonstration project to reduce carbon emissions through the CO2 Enhanced Oil Recovery project in the second quarter of 2014. A private sector project is working on carbon capture utilization and using it in manufacturing other products of economic value, and consequently the project will reduce CO2 emissions by 500,000 tons a year.

Saudi Arabia is also actively contributing to the Energy Efficient Buildings Initiative under the umbrella of the Major Economies Forum, Al-Naimi said.

In his concluding remarks, Al-Naimi said: “We call upon our partners to unify the efforts for better action under UNFCCC in a manner consistent with our goals and approach to sustainable development.”