Qatar University (QU) yesterday held a seminar on “Post COP21: Qatar and the Paris Agreement”, in collaboration with the French embassy and Unesco.
The event drew experts, students and researchers to discuss the issue of global warming in general and the Paris agreement and its implementation in particular.
It included addresses by QU vice president for research and graduate studies Prof Mariam al-Maadeed, French ambassador Eric Chevallier, assistant undersecretary for Environmental Affairs at Ministry of Municipality and Environment Ahmed al-Sada, and Unesco Doha Office director Anna Paolini.
Prof al-Maadeed noted that Qatar is fully 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.”
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 co-operation to achieve the international economic welfare. The Paris agreement contributes to set new goals and to implement them through the use of renewable energy.”
Paolini called for greener economies, greener legislation, and greener policies for sustainability.
“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 sessions chaired by QU College of Law professor and editor-in-chief of the “International Review of Law” Dr Talal al-Emadi, QU College of Arts & Sciences Algal Technologies Programme manager Dr Hareb Aljabri, QU policy analyst Dr Laurent Lambert, and French embassy’s Scientific and Higher Education Attaché Genevieve Nguyen.
Also attending were ambassador of Morocco M El Mekki Gaouane, QU faculty and students apart from students from Lycée Voltaire.