The carbon-neutral event, Earthna Summit, organized by the Earthna Center for a Sustainable Future will be held at Msheireb Downtown Doha on March 8-9. Sustainability issues faced by countries with hot and arid climactic characteristics will be the focus of the first Earthna Summit.
The event is organized by the Earthna Center for a Sustainable Future, a member of Qatar Foundation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. The carbon-neutral event will bring together local, regional and international policymakers, thought leaders, academics, and businesses to discuss topics around how to create new sustainability frameworks; food security, adaptation and resilience; climate and energy; and biodiversity, ecosystems and indigenous knowledge.
Titled, 'Building New Sustainability Pathways for Hot and Arid Environments', the event will convene over 500 participants for plenary speeches, panel discussions, roundtables, and workshops. The interactive sessions will help identify sustainability solutions centered around the unique needs of these countries, merging technology but also drawing on traditional practices and cultural values, smart cities, and food security.
Speakers include the Ambassador of Qatar to the United Kingdom HE Fahad Mohammed Al Attiyah; Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace; Ian Vasquez, Vice President of the Cato Institute, a public policy research organization; Abdel-Wahed Al Wakil, renowned architect; and Vaclav Smil, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, University of Manitoba.
The Minister of Environment and Climate Change HE Sheikh Dr. Faleh bin Nasser bin Ahmed bin Ali Al-Thani noted the significance of holding the Earthna Summit in Qatar, saying: "The Summit is an opportunity for Qatar to demonstrate its commitment to sustainability by supporting the continuation of local, regional, and international collaboration on important environmental issues. Over a third of the world's population live in countries with hot and arid environments. Through multilateral discussion on environmental and social research and practices, the Summit will not only support Qatar's goals, but also those of many other nations which share similar climates."
His Excellency also emphasized that the Summit aligns with Qatar's efforts to achieve sustainable development by building on relevant national strategies, and supports the pillars of the Qatar National Vision 2030 which include reducing carbon emissions and minimizing carbon footprint.
Additionally, the minister stressed the importance of collaboration amongst national stakeholders to accelerate progress towards sustainable economic growth, which protects the environment and meets the needs of current and future generations.
The Earthna Summit is collaborating with a number of local and regional organizations, including Qatar's Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, and the Middle East Council on Global Affairs. International collaborators include the Commonwealth Secretariat, Global Counsel, and the Stimson Center.
