From Left: Executive Director of QEERI, Dr Rabi Mohtar, Dr Emily Pidgeon of Conservation International, Research Scientist at QEERI, Dr Rodrigo Riera, Moza Al Naimi of Qatar Science and Technology Park, and QFI Youth Ambassadors Muhammed Al Muhannadi and Sahar Al Ansari at the Blue Carbon panel discussion.
Doha: Qatar Foundation International (QFI) yesterday celebrated Earth Day with the “Climates Change, Can You?” conference focusing on blue carbon and coastal conservation.
Bringing together local and global environmental organisations, educators, and students from high schools across Qatar, the conference raised awareness and urged individuals, communities, organisations, and governments to take action to protect our planet.
“With the Environment as a pillar of Qatar’s National Vision 2030, Qatar has shown its commitment to sustainable growth,” said Maggie Mitchell Salem, QFI’s Executive Director. “In hosting Earth Day Qatar, QFI brings young people together with the organisations that are furthering the environmental commitment of Qatar and supporting the exciting environmental initiatives of the next generation.”
In the special event at the Student Center in Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), QFI convened experts, educators, students and panellists to engage with environmental and climate-change issues and celebrate Earth Day 2013.
Focusing on coastal conservation and blue carbon, the event kicked off with a short film on plastic pollution in the Midway Islands (www.midwayfilm.com) followed by a Q and A online session with the filmmaker and renowned environmental activist, Chris Jordan.
Experts from Conservation International (CI) and Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), along with QFI Youth Ambassadors, Muhammed Al Muhannadi and Sahar Al Ansari, then participated in a panel discussion on the importance of mangroves and sea grass in the effort to combat climate change.
Leading the panel was Dr Rabi Mohtar, Executive Director of Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI). Panellists included Dr Emily Pidgeon, Senior Director of Conservation International’s Marine Climate Change Programme; Dr Rodrigo Riera, Research Scientist at the Department of Biodiversity at QEERI; and Moza Al Naimi, Research Executive-Marine at Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP).
The panel discussed the importance of coastal areas, such as the mangroves and sea grass in carbon sequestration.
“Coastal areas like sea grass, salt marshes, and mangroves occupy 2 percent of the planet and account for 50 percent of carbon capture,” said Dr Pidgeon.
The event continued with student showcases, in which four groups of students from local high schools “pitched” their environmentally-focused ideas in a competition to win seed money to further develop their projects.
Students from Al Wakra Independent Secondary School for Boys, Al Resala Independent Secondary School for Girls, and Omar bin Khuttab Independent Secondary School for Boys presented ideas ranging from re-using, rather than the current system of burning, palm tree fronds for wood, handicraft and silk to re-purposing and recycling used plastic materials. The winner of the seed money will be announced later this week.
In addition, this Earth Day in Qatar, QFI and its partner WeVideo launched a global, collaborative story-telling space focused on climate change. The year long campaign allows ordinary citizens from across the world to record their personal message on climate change, remix their voice with those of other contributors, and submit a short video that could be submitted to film festivals across the globe.
The Peninsula
