Dr Mahmoud Mohieldin: important and vital role for research centers to help achieve climate goals
The National Research Centre hosted on Wednesday the “Innovation for Climate” workshop organized by HLCs and Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research with the aim of providing a roadmap that enhances climate action on scientific bases.
Dr Mahmoud Mohieldin, UN Climate Change High Level Champion for Egypt and UN Special Envoy on Financing 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, participated in the workshop that came within the preparations of COP27 and aims to demonstrate the role of science and innovation in curbing climate change, many of the globally leading scientific research centers will participate in order to combine their efforts with the work of governments, financing entities, businesses and NGOs in a way that accelerate the collective climate action.
The workshop aims to find scientific solutions that scale up the capabilities of implementing the Paris Agreement and Marrakech Partnership priorities of limiting global warming, adaptation and enhancing resilience, beside activating the role of universities networks in implementing effective science-based adaptation and mitigation measures in cooperation with climate action stakeholders.
The workshop witnessed the participation of Dr Ashraf Shaalan, President of Climate Change Scientific Excellence Centre, Dr Hussein Darwish, the Acting President of National Research Centre, Dr Mahmoud El Meteni, President of Ain Shams University, Dr Mahmoud Saqr, President of Scientific Research Academy (virtually), and Dr Omneya El Omrany, The Envoy of COP27 President for Youth.
During the opening session, Mohieldin said that good preparations, providing innovative solutions that depend on developing scientific research are the factors that make COP27 more special, adding that Egypt became one of the active countries in the field of solar energy and renewables because of science, work and the the continuous developing.
“His Excellency Abdel Fattah Elsisi, Egypt President, urged during the Egyptian Economy Conference to scale up investments in renewables.” Mohieldin highlighted.
Mohieldin emphasized that financing climate action represents high priority in COP27, he highlighted also the vital and big role of research centers to push climate action forward, saying that American scientific research leaders kept their obligations despite the decision of the ex-president of the USA Donald Trump of withdrawal from Paris Agreement.
Mohieldin stressed that COP27 pushes toward turning promises and pledges into action, providing solutions, and involving women and youth in discussing and implementing climate action, adding that the conference agenda encourages adopting a holistic approach and enhancing the regional dimension of climate action through showcasing 50 selected regional development and climate projects.
He said also that financing climate action requires from specialists to provide scientific and financing solutions that help achieve climate goals.
The climate champion stated that COP27 will witness discussions between HLCs and students from all universities in Egypt, saying that there will be awareness programs, Egyptian, Arab and international scientific activities that aim to draw a scientific applicable vision of achieving COP27 targets.
Dr Hussein Darwish stressed the importance of integrating science and innovation to face climate change, especially that scientific researches aim to find solutions for this phenomenon, expressing his hope that all actors collaborate to mitigate and adapt with climate change impacts.
Dr Ashraf Shaalan explained that the workshop aims to bring all actors together and enhance the collaboration between international related entities to amplify the role of science in dealing with every climate issue.
Dr Mahmoud Saqr clarified that the ministry of higher education and scientific research has its own plan to face climate change since 2017, saying that Egypt is leading in Africa and Middle East in building solar plants, desalination projects and some projects led by the National Research Centre in the fields of bioplastics and eco-friendly tissues.
Saqr added that Egypt established Benban solar plant in Aswan, rehabilitated lakes, worked on the green transitioning of transport sector, and many other projects that go along with the green transition.
Dr Mahmoud El Meteni said that Ain Shams University graduated 500 climate ambassador through the first African and Arab training program of climate ambassadors qualification, adding that the university made many steps towards green transitioning and curbing climate change thorough focusing on education and providing educational subjects that raise environmental and climate awareness.
Dr Omneya El Omrany pointed to the efforts to involve youth in climate action, praising holding Climate Youth Conference in Sharm El Sheikh where discussions between experts and students will take place, beside many events that help youth provide solutions.
El Omrany added that 7 stories of climate action success will be showcased during the conference in order to encourage youth to be a main participants in climate action.