Lubna Al Qasimi opens Climate Change Negotiation Forum at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi

Under the patronage of Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi, Minister of State for Tolerance and President of Zayed University, the Climate Change Negotiation Forum, entitled ‘The Road from Paris’ opened today at the Zayed University Abu Dhabi campus.

The official opening ceremony was attended by Sheikha Lubna, who gave a keynote speech at the outset of the conference, Professor Reyadh AlMehaideb, Vice President of Zayed University, and a number of representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the private sector, senior administrators, faculty members, and university students.

The one-day conference is organised by Zayed University College of Sustainability and Human Sciences in collaboration with the Directorate of Energy and Climate Change at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, and the Regional Office for West Asia, ROWA.

The forum aims to evaluate outcomes from the Paris Conference of the Parties, COP21, meeting with special focus on their impact on the UAE and GCC region. It also serves as a platform for decision makers, scientists, young researchers, and private sector representatives, who interacted and discussed the research agenda for the future.

In her address on the occasion, Sheikha Lubna said, "The rapid rate of population growth, had triggered an ever-increasing demand on industrial activities which, among many other anthropogenic activities, result in an excessive release of greenhouse gases, and in particular carbon dioxide. The level of CO2 emissions had increased from 280 part per million (ppm), prior to the industrial revolution, to 379 ppm in 2005, reaching a current level of 400 ppm. These emissions are causing the world’s climate to change, leaving serious impact on our planet’s environment and the way we live. Several studies reported an increase of the average global air temperatures by 1.5 C since the early 20th century, and an increase by about 1 degree over just the last 30 years."

She added that the COP meeting concludes repeatedly that business, as a usual scenario, is not the way to go when dealing with climate change. "This is mainly due to the fact that climate change knows no boundaries. No country can address climate change on its own. This is a challenge that needs to be dealt with globally. However, there are several standing challenges which will be addressed by the experts of this timely gathering," she said.

Sheikha Lubna said, "COP21, for the first time, brings all nations into a common cause based on their historic, current and future responsibilities. The universal agreement’s main aim with regard to climate change is to keep a global temperature rise, this century, well below 2 degrees Celsius and to drive efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The 1.5 degree Celsius limit is a significantly safer defence line against the worst impacts of a changing climate."

The minister went on to emphasise that climate change issues are cross-disciplinary and trans-boundary issues and that sustained cooperation of academic institutions and stakeholders in private and public sectors is a key to release the promises of the green low carbon economy.

Source:WAM