WSF Online Roundtable: From National Climate Action to Regional Cooperation: Lessons from Oman and the Region, 23 September 2026

On 23 September, Forward Thinking’s Women for a Sustainable Future (WSF) Network convened online exploring how national climate commitments can be translated into practical implementation and cross-regional cooperation, drawing on lessons from Oman and experiences across the West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region. 

The discussion was led by Dr Thuraya Al Sariri, Presidential Adviser for Nature Conservation at Oman’s Environment Authority, who has led national teams responsible for developing Oman’s Environmental Strategy and the National Initiative to Plant 10 Million Trees. Participants included parliamentarians, former parliamentarians, government advisers, and environmental, gender, and sustainability experts from across the region. 

The discussion focused on the persistent gap between climate commitments and delivery. Participants highlighted the need to translate national priorities into viable projects, strengthen coordination between governments, businesses, investors and communities, and improve the availability of reliable climate data. Oman’s national approach provided a useful model, reflected in Oman’s National Climate Platform – established and managed by women – and its work to centralise climate reporting and bring different actors into a shared framework for implementation. 

The meeting identified a number of priorities for future action, including stronger parliamentary involvement in the preparation and oversight of national climate commitments; better coordination between national and local institutions; stronger regulatory implementation; and developing investment-ready climate projects capable of attracting finance. Participants also stressed that women must be recognised not simply as disproportionately affected by climate change, but as leaders and decision-makers in climate policy, adaptation, and finance. 

A key outcome was the identification of the potential role for the WSF Network in further connecting climate challenges with relevant expertise, technical partners and opportunities for cross-regional cooperation. Looking ahead to COP31, the Network will explore opportunities to build on these discussions, with a particular focus on moving beyond commitments towards practical climate adaptation, investment and implementation.