By Fazeena Saleem
An exhibition showcasing the environment-friendly initiatives of mainly oil and gas companies from the Middle East being held at the Doha Exhibition Centre has evoked poor response from the COP18/CMP8 delegates. Exhibitors say the organizers have chosen a wrong venue.
Major players of the energy industry in this region are showcasing their environment friendly research and innovations at the Qatar Sustainability Expo, which runs parallel to the UN Climate Change Conference.
The exhibition is seen as an opportunity to show the rest of the world what is happening in this region to reduce carbon emissions and energy management. Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE are the major exhibitors.
Exhibitors claim they have been receiving fewer visitors due to the distance between the Doha Exhibition Centre and Qatar National Convention Centre, where the main conference is being held.
“Only a few delegates have come here and they spend less time. Since the conference and exhibition are held at two different locations, it’s understood many are busy with the conference and so they can’t find time to come here. They should have had it at the Qatar National Convention Centre,” said an exhibitor at an Arab country pavilion.
“There is a misconception about the Gulf countries that we do less to save the environment. This exhibition is a good opportunity to break it, but it won’t happen unless those people at the conference come and see what we do,” he further said.
Exhibitors suggest that the expo should have been held at the conference venue and it would have been more convenient for delegates and would have attracted more visitors.
“There are many school students visiting the exhibition. It’s good for them to learn about environment friendly initiatives. But they are not the only target group of this exhibition. The research work done by us is definitely informative for the delegates and activists than for students,” said an exhibitor showcasing research on how to reduce carbon emissions.
Although the MENA region contributed a small percentage (4.7 of overall world emissions), the carbon footprint per capita of some nations was large. Yet the region has been criticized that action to bring down the amount of C02 that is warming the planet is not enough.
As per the World Bank report in 2007, Qatar produces 55.4 tonnes of carbon per person -- the highest global carbon footprint. Qatar is followed by Kuwait which ranks as the third highest in the world, followed by the UAE in fourth and Bahrain in fifth positions.
“I see it (exhibition) as an interesting distraction from the conference and an advertisement tool for the government and private sector,” said Michel Kuhn, Policy and External Relations, Welt Hunger Hilfe in Germany.
“I did not go yet because I arrived only two days ago, but I intend to,” he said.
Ritu Thiwari, Co-director, Centre for Community Economics and Development Consultancy Society from India, said, “I could not find time to go to the expo but I would certainly love to go as it may provide some insights into sustainability issues.”
As Doha prepares for the arrival of ministers later this week, exhibitors feel that the chances of delegates and activists visiting the expo are less.
“Next week will be busier; meetings could even go until night. So the possibility of them coming here and spending time is less,” said a researcher from a renowned university in the region.
The number of participants at some workshops and lectures held on the sidelines of the exhibition too has not been high.
“The lecture I attended had only five people as audience, where five people spoke,” said an attendee at a presentation held yesterday. The Qatar Sustainability Expo, which has been organized by International Fairs and Promotions and overseen by the Ministry of the Environment, is open for ten days from November 27 to December 7.The peninsula
