Global Arab Network - The first results of a report on Green Economy being prepared by the Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED) show that if measures are taken to convert existing buildings in Arab countries

to become more energy and water efficient, investments of 20 billion dollars are estimated to return up to 100 billion dollars within a period of ten years. The report, which will be made public during the AFED conference next October in Beirut, will show similar results in several different sectors, such as the return on investments in waste, industry, tourism, transportation and agriculture. The report includes more than 60 case studies demonstrating novel green initiatives in each of the
sectors addressed.

AFED
Secretary General Najib Saab announced that a team of renowned researchers and economists are still analyzing data. The report does not only aim to highlight problems, Saab explains, but also to quantify the losses incurred by carrying on with current practices and the expected benefits of transitioning to Green Economy in 8 sectors: Energy, Water, Agriculture, Industry, Cities & Green Buildings, Transport, Tourism and Waste Management.
The report also proposes alternative green investments in these sectors amounting to hundreds of billions of dollars.

 
The initial data gathered so far show that the time is ripe for Arab countries to make a transition to Green Economy, taking into consideration the current changes in the region. In this context, Saab hopes that “More representative
governments will bring stronger political will to the sustainable management of environmental resources through effective public policy, whereby people whose lives are most impacted by these concerns and the civil society will have more say in shaping political decisions.”

AFED’s 4th annual conference will be held on 27-28 October 2011 in the Conference Center of Al Habtoor Grand Hotel in Beirut, under the patronage of President Michel Suleiman, who also has a keynote speech in the opening ceremony. The conference is expected to attract around 1000 delegates from the Arab region and abroad.

Participants

Prominent
figures are expected to participate in the conference, including Achim Steiner, Executive Director of UNEP, Andrew Steer, World Bank’s Vice President, Brice Lalonde, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Coordinator of Rio+20. Among the speakers are a number of high ranking officials from development funds, such as Abdulwahab Al-Bader, Director General of Kuwait Fund and Suleiman Al-Herbish, Director General of OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID), in addition to several ministers and officials.

Conference Highlights

During the conference, a final draft of the World Bank’s report on adaptation to climate change, being produced by the World Bank in partnership with the League of Arab States (LAS), will be presented and debated in a special session. The report has been prepared by a team of partners, including researchers, institutions and AFED. Also during the conference, AFED will launch the “Energy Efficiency Handbook,” which is a reference that was prepared by AFED experts especially for the Arab region, and which contains practical guidelines on energy management and environmental housekeeping measures in offices.

Dr. Farouk El-Baz will contribute to the report an overview of his visionary venture entitled “Desert Development
Corridor,” whereby he proposes developing parts of the Egyptian desert by introducing to it a transportation network based on the principles of sustainable development.

Global Arab Network