• UNESCO Expert Group Produces Draft Declaration on Ethical Principles in relation to Climate Change, Rabat, 20-24 September, Marrakech 7-18 November
UNESCO High Level Expert Group comprising 24 members from 24 countries produced first draft of a strong and comprehensive Universal Declaration on Ethical Principles in Relation to Climate Change.
AFED Secretary General, who is member of the Group, and member of the expert group hoped that the Declaration, which will be presented to UNESCO Assembly for adoption in 2017 after more reviews, "will be a strong tool of moral pressure to support adherence to the Paris Climate Accord, by providing a global ethical base to shame violators, and even take them to courts." The draft was presented and discussed at the Climate Summit in Marrakech in November. More: http://afed.me/2fOeWx0

• AFED at SwitchMed Connect, Barcelona, 18-20 October
AFED hosted a session at SwitchMed annual gathering in Barcelona, on Sustainable Development Goals in a Changing Arab Climate. The session was moderated by AFED secretary general, who presented main findings of AFED report on SDGs in a Changing Arab Climate. More: http://afed.me/2gLjWob

• Partner of UNEP's Finance Initiative Global Round Table, Dubai, 25-26 October
AFED was partner of the Finance Initiative Global Round Table, which showed positive shift in attitudes in the mainstream financial sector. Secretary General Najib Saab moderated a session on Investing in the Environment, and spoke at the closing session, stressing the need to immediate transition to green economy, and called upon Arab countries to take advantage of low interest rates at the global level to issue Green Bonds to finance infrastructure. More: http://afed.me/2gNPrwQ

• AFED participates in Belmont Forum, Doha, 31 Oct. - 2 Nov.
AFED Secretary General Najib Saab presented AFED programs at Belmont Forum Annual Plenary in Doha, hosted by Qatar National Research Fund. Belmont Forum is an international coalition of international science councils. It mobilizes funding of research which delivers science-derived solutions that support sustainable development. More: http://afed.me/2gIZ9UK

• AFED Annual Conference, Beirut, 10-11 November
AFED launched its annual report on Sustainable Development in a Changing Arab Climate during the opening of its ninth annual conference at the American University of Beirut, which featured over 45 speakers and attracted 500 delegates. More: http://afed.me/2ganBes. Conference recommendations can be accessed at: http://afed.me/2gNXhXb

• AFED Board of Trustees annual meeting, Beirut, 10 November
AFED BoT held its annual meeting on 10 November at Gefinor Rotana hotel in Beirut. Among issues discussed was the subject of 2017 tenth annual report, which was decided to track changes in the state of Arab environment in10 years, taking findings of AFED 2008 report as baseline. Other issues at the top of the agenda were the financial standing in light of reduced contributions from private and public sectors, due to economic stress in the region.

• Arab Ministerial Council and Joint Commission, Cairo, 3-8 December
AFED presented findings of its report on SDGs at the annual session of the Arab League's Joint Committee for Environment and Development and the Council of Arab Ministers Responsible for the Environment (CAMRE), held at the Arab League's Secretariat in Cairo. As accredited Observer with Consultative Status, AFED presented to the meetings its work report for 2016, including overview of programs and activities. AFED was represented by Secretary General Najib Saab and Senior Adviser Hussein Abaza. More: http://afed.me/2gXxoI4

• Report Distribution, Beirut, November
Copies of the 9th AFED report on SDGs in Changing Arab Climate were distributed to libraries of the world's 100 leading universities. Distribution also covered Ministries of Environment and Planning, Government Agencies and Funds, World Bank, UNEP, UNDP, ESCWA and other UN organizations, in addition to many other research centers and foundations. The report was also sent to concerned ministries of foreign governments through their diplomatic missions.