Qatar- QU holds 'Post COP21' seminar

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula

Doha: Qatar University (QU) yesterday held a seminar on “Post COP21: Qatar and the Paris Agreement” in collaboration with the French embassy and Unesco.

The events drew experts students and researchers together to discuss the issue of global warming in general and the Paris agreement and its implementation in particular. It included addresses by QU VP for Research and Graduate Studies Prof Mariam Al Maadeed French Ambassador Eric Chevallier Assistant Undersecretary for Environmental Affairs at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment Ahmed Al Sada and Unesco Doha Office Director Anna Paolini. Moroccan Ambassador M El Mekki Gaouane and QU faculty and students were present along with students from Lycée Voltaire.

Prof Al Maadeed highlighted the timeliness of this event to the world noting that the State of Qatar is completely aware of the importance of environmental development which is among the four pillars of its vision 2030. “Environmental development contributes to ensuring the coherence and consistency between economic and social development and the protection of the environment” she said adding “As the largest university in Qatar QU places the environment at the core of its academic programmes whether at the undergraduate and graduate levels or in its research centres.”

Chevallier said: “The Paris agreement should now be turned into action for the benefit of future generations.”

Al Sada said: “Qatar puts environmental issues at the top of its priorities in line with its ongoing efforts towards sustainable development and the promotion of global cooperation to achieve the international economic welfare. The Paris agreement contributes to set new goals and to implement them through the use of renewable energy. In this context the Gulf countries made an important progress in this area through the diversification of energy sources and the investment in clean energy.”

Paolini thanked QU and the French embassy for initiating this important meeting. She said: “For sustainability we need greener economies greener legislation greener policies. We need also greener societies. However to succeed fundamentally we need green citizens. This calls for new ways of seeing the world new ways of thinking new ways of behaving and new ways of acting. Education is essential to shape the new values skills and knowledge we need for the century ahead. Education is the red thread tying Agenda 2030 and the decisions of the COP21 Conference together.”

The programme agenda included 3 sessions chaired by QU College of Law (LAWC) law professor and editor-in-chief of the “International Review of Law” Dr Talal Al Emadi QU College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) Algal Technologies Programme manager Dr Hareb Aljabri QU policy analyst Dr Laurent Lambert and French embassy’s Scientific and Higher Education Attaché Genevieve Nguyen.

In the 1st session headlined “What is at stake: the issue of global warming” presentations were delivered by QU Environmental Science Centre director Dr Jeffrey Obbard and Qatar Climate Change Department director Abdulhadi Nasser Al Marri.

Themed “Paris agreement and its implementation” the 2nd session included two (2) parts. The Part I focused on “The Agreement” and featured presentations delivered by Chevallier and Unesco programme specialist education Dr Anwar Alsaid. In the Part II on “Implementing the Paris agreement stakeholders’ visions” presentations were delivered by QU LAWC assistant professor of law Dr Jon Truby Total Research Qatar director Pierre Montaud QDVC sustainable development coordinator Abdulla Ali Zainal and Kahramaa president’s adviser Engineer Yousuf Janahi. The 3rd session “Their future their voices” highlighted the vision of high-school students and NGOs. It included presentations by Lycée Voltaire Qatar representative Mariam Badr and Arab Youth Climate Movement representative Juhaina Al Lanjawi. They discussed the role of the future generation in implementing the recommendations of the Paris agreement to overcome the challenges of climate change.

Final remarks were delivered by Friends of Environment Centre Chairman Dr Said Al Hajari Chevallier and Gaouane as COP22 will be held in Marrakech Morocco this November.