Arab Virtual Week for Sustainability and Environment
Conjointly organized by the Environmental Center for Arab Towns, and the Clean Energy Business Council (CEBC), the Arab Virtual Week for Sustainability and Environment has been held from: the 24th to 28th of October 2022.
This virtual week purposed to attain and realize the following goals and objectives:
| – | Keeping pace with the national and global agendas in the sustainability and the environment arena |
| – | Having access to the best cutting-edge Arab and International practices in the domain of sustainability and the ecology. |
| – | Initiation of a platform for dialogue backing and supporting the mayors of Arab towns, city planners, professionals and specialists to deliberate and dialogue on numerous challenges, as well as the upcoming prospects via knowledge sharing and information exchange with experts and the participating global companies |
| – | Acquaintance with the up-to-the-minute technologies applied in Arab and international towns and municipalities |
| – | Offering opportunities for collaboration and partnership between the participating entities and the interested actors. |
Target Groups:
Mayors of towns, municipal administrators and governors – public policy makers- professionals and specialists-investors and private sector companies-international establishments involved in sustainability and the ecology-institutions and organizations of the civil society-universities and scientific research institutes.
Areas of Emphasis of the Week:
| – | Interpretations and overviews in the international trends, perceptions and indicators |
| – | Development approaches and policies |
| – | Productively applied initiatives, projects and practices that have received a notable local and international recognition |
| – | Eco-friendly applications and green technologies |
| – | Challenges, visions and projections for the future |
It is noteworthy that, the Arab week for sustainability and environment comprised an extensive five-day program for undertaking discussion, discourse and acquaintance with the state-of-the-art technologies and initiatives effectively and successfully applied in the following domains:
THE EVENT Link : https://ecat.ae/en/Event/ArabSustainabilityWeek
The Program
| Time | Title | Speakers | Link |
| Monday, 24th October | |||
| 11:05 – 11:25 | Overview of The Landscape of Sustainable Development in Arab Region | Jil Amine
Economic Affairs Officer (Sustainable Development) United Nations (UNESCWA)
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| 11:25 – 11:45 | Delivering Sustainable Finance Initiatives and Mainstreaming the Impact | Fareed Bushehri
Sustainability Consultant Bushehri Sustainability Consultants
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| 11:45 – 12:05 | Policy Roadmap for Sustainable Development: Recommendations and Best Practices | Mr. Nabil Shahin
Technical Director, Dubai MENA Office AHRI
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| 12:05 – 12:25 | Overview of Green Hydrogen Projects in the MENA Region
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Iwan Walters
Partner, Law EY
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| 12:25 – 12:45 | Energy Transition in the Arab Region: Challenges and Opportunities | Dr. Nawal Yousif Alhanaee
Director of the Future Energy Department Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure UAE
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| 12:45 – 13:05 | The Experience of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure in Implementing Sustainability Standards | Eng. Marwa Obaid Altaffag
Head of Federal Buildings Design and Housing Section UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure
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| 13:25 – 13:45 | Unlocking Climate Finance for Local Projects | Beatriz Fonseca
Junior Officer, Innovative Finance ICLEI
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| 13:45 – 14:05 | The Landscape of Climate Finance in the Arab Region | Mohamed Hamra-Krouha
Partner Clifford Chance
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| 14:05 – 14:25 | Climate Finance in the Arab Region: Challenges and Opportunities | Dr. Katharina Lehmann Uschner
Economic Affairs Officer (Climate Economist), Climate Change and Natural Resource Sustainability Cluster ESCWA
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| 14:25 – 14:45 | The Landscape of Sustainable Development & Energy Transition in the Arab Region | Dr. Mustapha Taoumi
Chief Executive Officer Energy Transitions & Strategies Ltd
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| Time | Title | Speakers | Link |
| Tuesday, 25th October | |||
| 11:00 – 11:20 | Indicators of the Sustainability of Arab Cities and Urban Resilience under the Influence of Rapid Climate | Dr. Ameera Alhassan
Head of UN-Habitat GCC Office in Kuwait
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| 11:20 – 11:40 | Beyond Smart Cities: The Role of Social Engagement | Evita Faustina Francis
Vice President, Business Resilience Practice Leader Marsh Advisory, MENA
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| 11:40 – 12:00 | The Digital Twin of Dubai | Mahra Juma Alketbi
Principal GIS Officer Dubai Municipality
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| 12:00 – 12:20 | Smart Cities and Environmental Sustainability for Urban Resilience
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Dr. Sukaina Al-Nasrawi
Urban Development Lead UNESCWA |
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| 12:40 – 13:00 | Towards a Smart and Sustainable Built Environment in the Arab Region: Enablers and Barriers | Deepthy K B
Regional Director – Market Development GBCI Middle East
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| 13:00 – 13:20 | Electric Vehicle Charging: The Key to the Future of Sustainable Mobility | Rami Abu Hayah
CEO CATEC Mobility
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| 13:20 – 13:40 | Role of Smart Cities in achieving Sustainable Development |
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| Time | Title | Speakers | Link |
| Wendsday, 26th October | |||
| 11:00 – 11:20 | The Commitment of the Arab Countries and Saudi Arabia Brings Us the Most Challenging Question: “Are We on the Right Track?” | Mr. Faisal Alfadl
Secretary General at Saudi Green Building – Chief Representative to the UN
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| 11:20 – 11:40 | Achieving Net Zero Buildings in Arab Cities | Eng. Moneef Barakat
CEO Solarabic |
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| 11:40 – 12:00 | Energy Efficiency in Building in the Arab Region: Enablers and Barriers | Aparna Aravindakshan
Business Head – Middle East ZENATIX |
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| 12:00 – 12:20 | The Synergies between Sustainability and Energy Efficiency in Buildings, Optimization of Domestic Water
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Margarita Huaca Valdiviezo, Engineer & Sustainable Development Expert BD
Enernouva
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| 12:40 – 13:00 | Just and Inclusive Clean Energy Transition in the Arab Region | Mr. Stephen Gitonga
Regional Energy and Environment Specialist UNDP Regional Hub in Jordan |
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| 13:00 – 13:20 | The Role of Sustainable Mobility in the Transitions towards the Smart & Sustainable City: Methods and Strategies | Éric Dimnet
Mobility Officer French Ministry of Ecological Transition
Sofia Rogozarski Sustainability Science Officer General Commission of Sustainable Development, French Ministry of Ecological Transition
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| 13:20 – 13:40 | Electric and Shared Mobility in the Arab Region: Enablers and Barriers | Jaideep Dhanoa
CEO FENIX
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| 13:40 – 14:00 | UAE National EV Chargers Network | Eng. Noura Ali Alhouli
Director of Federal Road Control Center Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure UAE |
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| Time | Title | Speakers | Link |
| thursday, 27th October | |||
| 11:00 – 11:20 | Circular Economy Strategies | Raj Kumar Prasad
Head of Sustainability – Middle East & Africa BSI
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| 11:20 – 11:40 | Circular Economy: Best Practices and Opportunities | Dr. Magash Naidoo
Head of Circular Development ICLEI |
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| 11:40 – 12:00 | Designing under Circularity in the Arab Region: Challenges and Opportunities | Eng. Dima Al Srouri
Director Biospheric City Lab
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| 12:00 – 12:20 | Cement Sector- Decarbonization Roadmap: A Case Study | Riad Bestani
Founder & CEO ECOsquare
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| 12:40 – 13:00 | Supporting Local Governments with the Energy Transition | Kanak Gokarn
Junior Officer, Sustainable Energy ICLEI |
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| 13:00 – 13:20 | Energy Storage and Supply in the Arab Region: Enablers and Barriers | Jessica Obeid
Founder and CEO New Energy Consult
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| 13:20 – 13:40 | Landscape of Hydrogen in the Arab Region | Alan Zhao
New Power Director – Africa & Middle East Cummins |
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| Time | Title | Speakers | Link |
| Friday, 28th October | |||
| 11:00 – 11:20 | Artificial Intelligence and IoT Driving Sustainability | Sameer Ghavri
Practice Head – OT MCPM |
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| 11:20 – 11:40 | Future of Blockchain as pathway towards Smart and Sustainable Built Environment | Sam Lee
Dean of Software Institute Blockchain Lab China Academy of Science (CAS) |
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| 12:00 – 12:20 | Leading Innovation in Energy
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Maryam Salman
Consultant Qamar Energy |
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| 12:40 – 13:00 | Sustainable Agri-Tech in the Arab Region
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Eng. Mohammed Alkaff
CEO of MCPM MENA, MCPM Holding and UI Ventures |
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| 13:00 – 13:20 | Digitalization of Grid: Unlocking Opportunities
in the Arab Region |
Avijit Sur
Technology Business Consultant Rebus Novus |
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| 13:20 – 13:40 | Digital Solutions for the Environment in the Arab Region | Bocar Alpha BA
CEO SAMENA Telecommunications Council |
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| 13:40 – 14:00 | Priorities to Accelerate Clean Hydrogen and Transition to a Green Economy | Jeffrey Beyer
Managing Director Zest Associates
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