January 2016
This edition of AFED Highlights covers the period following AFED Annual Conference.
∙ AFED Report at SwitchMed, Arab League, and Gulf Energy Conference- Cairo, Barcelona, Manama
Findings of the AFED survey on consumption patterns in Arab countries were presented and debated at the Mediterranean conference SwitchMed in Barcelona. For details: http://afed.me/1PWLxLT.AFED report on sustainable consumption was presented in a plenary session at the second International energy management conference, held in Bahrain between in Bahrain between 7--8 December 2015. Dr. Ibrahim Abdel Gelil, the co-editor of the report, presented the highlights and the 2015 AFED public survey results on sustainable consumption. For details:http://afed.me/1L2DBHD. Secretary General Najib Saab also presented the main findings of the report and recommendations of AFED conference to the Council of Arab Ministers Responsible for the Environment (CAMRE) at its 27th session in Cairo. For details: http://afed.me/20weV6K.
∙ Adapting to Paris Climate Deal- Paris
AFED participated in the Climate Summit (COP 21) in Paris, with a multidisciplinary delegation, headed by AFED Secretary General Najib Saab, and including 5 members from across the Arab countries who are business, civil society and academic leaders; in addition to Dr. Mohamed El Ashry, AFED Vice Chairman. AFED had prepared a background paper on the state of climate negotiations, and worked with various Arab parties to help reach a fair deal. Secretary General commented on the negotiations and the outcome on 18 regional and international networks. For details:http://afed.me/1SOmwrn, http://afed.me/1PWLNdD, http://afed.me/20wf623.
∙ AFED to Cooperate with UNEP on Green Economy- Geneva, 11 January
AFED participated in the global meeting of the High-Level Group (HLG) which advises UNEP on its forthcoming flagship report, Global Environment Outlook (GEO-6), which traces environmental trends and prospects. The meeting convened between 11-13 January at the International Conference Centre in Geneva. Secretary General submitted AFED remarks on the drafts of the regional section of the report, and the structure of the global report. AFED annual reports are being extensively used as references for GEO-6. For details:http://afed.me/1UNlbAj
∙ Secretary General at GEO Meeting, Geneva, 14 January
AFED Secretary General Najib Saab met at the European Headquarters of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in Geneva officials from UNEP's Green Economy, Finance Initiative and Disaster Management branches. Cooperation was discussed on programs covering Green Economy and the financial and banking sectors. The Secretary General also met the Executive Secretary of Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, RolphPayet, at the Secretariat's office in Geneva.
∙ AFED at the 6th Session of IRENA Assembly- Abu Dhabi, 16-17 January
Dr. Ibrahim Abdel Gelil, AFED Senior Advisor, represented AFED at the 6th Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) that was held in Abu Dhabi during the period 16-17 January 2016. 150 member countries, along with 140 regional and international organizations, attended the meeting. The Assembly discussed sustainable energy and future of renewables. For details: http://afed.me/1PkifHD
∙ AFED Sustainable Consumption Report in Abu Dhabi Water Summit, Abu Dhabi, 18-21 January
AFED 2015 Annual Report on sustainable consumption was presented at the International Water Summit (IWS) in Abu Dhabi, which convened, in conjunction with World Future Energy Summit (WFES), in the context of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. Dr. Ibrahim Abdel Gelil, co-editor of the report, presented its main findings and recommendations, along with AFED public survey results on sustainable consumption, with special focus on water related issues. The presentation attracted interest and triggered lively debate, with many participants ordering copies of the AFED report.For details:http://afed.me/1PWngvB
∙ New Documentaries from AFED, January
AFED produced four short documentaries on the topics of: Desert (Manmade Deserts), Seas (Seas Support Lives), Waste (Solid Waste) and Air (The Air We Breathe). Several prominent Arab experts participated in these documentaries, which are intended for television, awareness campaigns and education programs. They have been made available to the public on YouTube, and distributed to national and regional TV networks. The duration of these short documentaries ranges between 4 to 6 minutes. They are added to the environmental educational documentaries already produced by AFED, which include: "Testimony of an Old Man" in 2008, "Wet and Dry" in 2009, "The Last Drop" in 2010, "Green Change" in 2011, "Survival Options" in 2012, "Powering the Arab Future," in 2013 and "Feeding 400 Million Arabs" in 2014. To watch and download: http://afed.me/1SNRik5.
