“The 1st World Environment Summit” - ‘Middle East Dialogue’ – Bahrain 2011!

“The Summit”  –  27th January 2011

Speakers’ Topic

His Excellency

Dr. Abdul Hussain bin Ali Mirza

The Minister, Ministry of  Oil and Gas Affairs

Chairman, National Oil and Gas Authority (NOGA)

H. R. H. Princess Basma bint Ali

Jordan

Areas of Environmental Action:

Biodiversity, Sport

HRH Princess Basma Bint Ali presents an award to a winner of the Eco-Schools competition on Wednesday (Photo courtesy of JREDS)

H. R. H. Princess Basma bint Ali of Jordan, founder and chairperson of a number of grassroots NGOs in the field of environment and sustainable development, is a positive role model not only for women, but for an entire generation of young people in the Middle East. She has helped raise the public’s sense of responsibility towards the protection of the environment and the need to achieve sustainable development. She is also chair of the Jordan Royal Ecological Diving Society, the National Environment Wildlife Society and the Red Crescent Society.

Through her efforts, the organizations which she has founded and chairs have attracted a huge following and have helped enhance civil society participation in sustainable development activities. In November 2001, she worked with the Jordanian Government to hold a regional conference for NGOs on the role of Civil Society in the implementation of Agenda 21 for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD). Her contribution to Jordan’s preparations for WSSD, and the extensive media coverage her work attracts, have helped make the environment and sustainable development household topics in her region.

Also of note are Her Royal Highness’ efforts in academic research. She has worked with and supported Jordan’s renowned botanist Dr. Daoud El-Esawi, in saving one of Jordan’s endemic crocuses from destruction by relocating it to the Jordan University Botanical Garden and the Jordan Intercontinental Hotel Gardens. She was honoured as a Hero for the Planet by Time Magazine in 1998, and she is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Order of Merit from the Jordanian Armed Forces (1998), the King Hussein Gold Medal for Excellence and the Medal of Administrative Competence from the Jordanian Armed Forces (1995). She was chosen by the United States Information Agency to represent Jordan at their International Visitors Programme on Marine Conservation and Women in Military Affairs (1995).

She is Honorary President of the Fertile Crescent Society of the Middle East; Honorary President of the Planetary Coral Reef Foundation, California, USA; Founder and President of the Pilot Phase Assessment Committee of Jordan for the Global Environmental Facility; member of the

Society for the Preservation of Jordanian Heritage; and founder and board of directors member of Halfway House for Juvenile Delinquents, Boston, USA. She holds a certificate in Military Science from the Royal Military Academy of Sandhurst,UK.

H.E Minister Zhou Shengxian

Environment Minister of China

Ambassador Corazon Yap-Bahjin

Philippines

QUOTE
“We must disabuse non-Muslims of their pre-judgments about us and Muslims have to fight negative stereotypes”

MANILA, Philippines – The recent confirmation of Corazon Yap-Bahjin as ambassador to Bahrain made Philippine foreign service history as she is the first career Muslim Filipina ambassador.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, other career Muslim diplomats who headed Philippine missions abroad are former Philippine Ambassador to Turkey and currently Assistant Secretary DFA-Mindanao Bahnarim Guinomla, Philippine Consul General and Deputy Chief of Mission to Dhaka Usop Kadatuan, former Philippine Ambassador to Oman Candidate Gutoc, and former Philippine Ambassador to Libya Mukhtar Muallam.

Other Muslim who previously served as non-career Ambassadors include former Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Alunan Glang, former Philippine Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Abraham Rasul, and former Philppine Ambassador to Kuwait Mauyag Tamano.

“Ambassador-designate Bahjin is the first Filipina Muslim to pass the career Foreign Service Officers’ examination and now to head a diplomatic mission,” the DFA said.

Bahjin, who was recently Assistant Secretary for Personnel at the DFA, replaces former Ambassador Eduardo Pablo Maglaya in Manama.

Bahjin’s grandmothers and her late husband, Datu Samsuddin Rasul Bahjin, are Tausugs from Sulu.

She graduated cum laude from the University of Santo Tomas in 1967 with a Bachelor of Science in Education, majoring in English and Theology. In 1974, she obtained her Master of Arts, major in Social Studies, at the University of the Philippines.

Before embarking on a diplomat career, Bahjin was an educator. She taught at the Holy Trinity College in Palawan, the Centro Escolar University, and then the Palawan State University, where she became an Assistant Professor.

She was previously assigned in Cairo, Amman, Bangkok, and Xiamen, where she was Consul General. In the home office, she also served as Assistant Secretary of the Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Coordination as well as Acting Assistant Secretary of the Office of Consular Affairs.

Bahjin’s constituents in Bahrain will consist of around 45,000 Filipinos of a total 570,000 expatriate population there.

Dr. Adel Khalifa  J. Zayani

Director General, Commission for the Protection of Marine Resources, Environment & Wildlife, Kingdom of Bahrain

Dr. Dhafer Al Umran

Ambassador

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

His Excellency the Ambassador, Dr. Dhafer Al Umran – Director, Bilateral Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Bahrain

With PhD in Economic Development from the University of Southern California and a Master of Science in Public Administration in USC, His Excellency has been one of the leading proponents in the environmental issues and challenges in Bahrain.

Being chosen as one of the 20 Economic and Environment Experts who participated in the World Experts Forum under the theme “Social and Economic Dimensions of the Weather Change” held in the USA, Dr. Dhafer al Umran  is also a Member of the National Team for Environment Development for ‘Executing Agenda 2′  in 1997.   He is also a Member of the “Environmental Joint Committee for Energy Conservation and Alternative Future Resources”.  His Excellency on official duties has been Head of Bahrain Negotiation Delegation with GCC-EU Negotiations; GCC-Japan Negotation and USA Negotiations.  He is Head of the Bahrain Team responsible for construction an “Economic Model for Bahrain titled Delmon”.   Dr. Dhafer Al Umran is also  the Secretary of the ‘National Strategic Committee as a Think Tank Group’ to evaluate and assess the economic performance of Bahrain.

Participated and represented Bahrain in the “Meeting of Experts in Economics at the ESCOWA”   where he personally supervises the preparation of the Bahrain Report titled “30 years  of Economic and Social Development in Bahrain” that was issued by the Ministry of Finance and National Economy in 1991.

His Excellency important awards include  – ” Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa Order” given on 18th December 2000 by the late Amir of Bahrain  -  “Award of Excellence” by the Ministry of Finance and Economy – ” Education Day Award”   by the late Amir,  Shaikh isa bin Salman Al Khalifa 1986.

Mr. Faisal Al-Mahroos

Chief Executive – Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO)

Mr. Ernst Weber

KPMG Fakhro

Ernst is a Wirtschaftspruefer (German Certified Public Accountant) and holds a Master of Business Administration and Computer Science from Frankfurt University for Economics & Administration in Germany.

He has 25 years of audit and advisory experience and has audited financial statements according to German, US and international accounting standards across virtually every industry.

For more than a year he has worked as an audit and advisory partner for KPMG Fakhro, Bahrain & Qatar. He is a member of the International KPMG Committee of Real Estate, Building & Construction while representing the Middle East & South Asia region.

Ernst has gained especially significant corporate finance experience advising private companies and government institutions in the oil & gas, real estate, construction, hospitality and financial sector.

His local expertise includes companies of national and regional eminence in Bahrain, including Nogaholding B.S.C.(c), The Bahrain Petroleum Company B.S.C.(c), Tatweer Petroleum W.L.L., Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company B.S.C.(c), Bahrain Telecommunication Company B.S.C., Bahrain Ship Repairing & Engineering Company B.S.C., various prominent family owned groups and subsidiaries of multinational companies in the Middle East.

He brings a wealth of international sustainability experience harnessing the full capabilities of KPMG’s Climate Change and Sustainability Services, a network of more than 300 practitioners working in 40 countries that provide sustainability and climate change services to better understand, control, measure and improve companies’ business performance in the area of corporate responsibility.

Ms. Jacqueline M. McGlade

Jacqueline M. McGlade (born U.K.) is a leading marine biologist and environmental informatics professor. Her research focusses on the spatial and nonlinear dynamics of ecosystems, climate change and scenario development.

She is the current Executive Director of the European Environment Agency ( EEA ) in Copenhagen, Denmark. Following this appointment, she took leave from her post as Professor of Environmental Informatics in the Department of Mathematics at University College LondonMcGlade’s PhD research on the mathematical and statistical analysis of the phenotypic and genotypic variability showed the critical importance of spatial dynamics in determining evolutionary divergence and ecological sustainability in freshwater and marine fish populations. This work led to her establishing the first population dynamics and genetics laboratory in Fisheries and Oceans Canada.Her subsequent research at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography laboratory helped move existing fisheries assessment methodologies from logistic models of population growth to spatially extended predator-prey, or Lotka-Volterra type models. She has also created the basis for a new research activity to become established at the Bedford Institute in spatial modelling and artificial intelligence to apply space-based observations to biological oceanography. After developing fleet deployment models at the NOAA Administration in the USA) and working on ecological networks with researchers at the intelligence systems laboratory at Xerox PARC, Professor McGlade continued her research in systematics, ichthyology and population dynamics in Cambridge as the Adrian Fellow at Darwin College during the period 1987-1990. At the same time, she expanded her research in coastal issues at the International Federation of Institutes of Advanced Study in the Netherlands and the Cranfield Institute in the UK, where she worked to develop spatial models for environmental issues. At the EEA, Professor McGlade has introduced a fundamental shift in the thinking behind environmental reporting and indicator development towards a shared European spatial environmental information system. Such information system would bring together key aspects of national and international research outputs including those from the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) initiative.

Under her leadership, the Agency is reinforcing its capability to produce integrated environmental assessments, analysing the state of Europe’s environment as a whole, and provide reliable projections. Professor McGlade has worked to strengthen the link between science and policy. She has not only pointed at the magnitude of climate change but also urged policymakers to start developing and applying adaptation measures.

She is also a firm advocate of informing and involving the public in all aspects of the environment. To this end, she has been striving at strengthening the information and feedback channels between researchers, public and policymakers, and making environmental informationunderstandable and accessible through technological media. In conjunction with her role at the EEA, she is playing an active role in promoting environmental issues in European and international fora including various UN committees, European Agencies and Environment Protection Agencies networks, and as well as a number of research, institutional and non-governmental advisory committees.

Ms. Nadine Gouzee

Nadine Gouzée is Head of Task Force on Sustainable Development (TFSD) of the Federal Planning Bureau (FPB), playing a role in the Belgian Federal Sustainable Development (SD) Strategy. She has coordinated the five Belgian Federal Reports on SD (1998-2009) and the first Belgian Federal SD Plan (2000). Graduate in Economics, she took a Masters Degree in Econometrics (1974, Brussels University) and also specialized in social, environmental and economic ethics (Leuven University 1991), SD principles, SD indicators and strategies (UN context).

Until 1987, she steered projects at Brussels University and at the FPB (as researcher worker since 1976) concerning modeling, input-output tables, energy-accountancy and macroeconomic policies. Member of the FPB since 1981, she has also been Vice-Chair of the Advisory Council on Environment and Sustainable Development of Wallonia (1996-2000) and in charge of several Belgian Delegations at negotiations concerning SD policy instruments (EU Environmental Council, OECD EPOC, UN Commission on SD), related to preparations and follow up of climate change and other SD core negotiations, including Rio (1992), Kyoto (1997), Johannesburg (2002), and the preparation of the Rio+20 UN conference (2012).

Mr. Nisbet Smith

Director of Professional Development Centre

Bahrain Polytechnic University

Nisbet Smith is Director of the Professional Development Centre at Bahrain Polytechnic, which incorporates the Centre for Sustainable Practice. He leads the drive to make Bahrain Polytechnic an exemplar of environmental sustainability in the Gulf region.

Nisbet began his working life in New Zealand in the primary industries of agricultural and horticultural science, specializing in Plant Nursery Production. He began his career in education in 1985 when he was employed by Tairawhiti Polytechnic to teach Nursery Production and Organic Horticulture.

From 1992 to 2007 Nisbet ran Short Courses, Seminars and Conferences at Tairawhiti Polytechnic, many of which had an environmental theme. During this time he also held membership and official positions on several environmental organizations in New Zealand.

In 2007 he published “Community Learning Through Ecological Action” in the International NGO Journal. This article documented a learning transformation among the people of a small coastal village on the East Coast of New Zealand as a result of involvement in an ecological restoration programme at Te Wherowhero Lagoon.

He is the Founding Director of Community Replant (CommunityReplant.org), a grass roots organization to assist communities involved in tree planting by funding village based plant nurseries. Their first project is in Kathmandu in partnership with local environmental group ‘WATO’.

His topic at the World Environment Summit is ‘Learning/Environment: Youth Engagement in Sustainable Practice’

Mr. Boris Uhlig

Chief Executive Officer

BEI Universe Environment Bahrain B.S.C.

“Cut Cost and Go Green? Sustainable Solutions for the Middle-East”

“Boris passion and enthusiasm for the environment started already in the youth years, as his father was actively involved with recycling since 1966. At the beginning of his career, he developed solutions for office automation and process management, with the aim to reduce the paper volume in offices, before he focused on the core business of the family: “Environmental Engineering”. His flexibility and empathy to convert even complex issues efficiently and quickly into solutions can be seen in many projects such as “Recycling for Charity” or “Liquid Glass”, which always consider all the individual requirements and needs for a successful implementation in the Middle East.”

Mr. Adel Hasan Al-ali

Second Vice-Chairman

Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Mr. Jawad Al Hawaj

Chairman- Samsung Bahrain

Managing Director – Al Hawaj Group of Companies

Mr. Curtis Belton

Principal – Rockwood School of Winnipeg, Manitoba – Canada

Chair of the Sustainable development / ESD Committee and Member of the Division ESD Committee

Sits on :  The Manitoba Education for Sustainable Development Working

Group

The Provincial Active and Safe Routes to School Committee

The Provincial Sustainable Schools Document Committee

Curt has participated on various workshops, public forums, and conferences in the area of sustainability including the UNESCO World ESD Conference in Bonn, Germany in 2009 and most recently, the Sustainability and Education Academy.  Curt has also presented on ESD at the provincial principals conference and to schools in Winnipeg School Division.

Curt is currently working on his Masters of Environment in ESD and is researching Successes, Drivers and Barriers to ESD in England, Australia and Canada.  Curt strives to live in increasingly sustainable manner at home and at work.

Mr. Craig Thackray

Associate Director and Head

Marine, Environment & Geotechnical

URS / Scott Wilson – Bahrain

Craig is a Chartered Environmentalist and leads all marine and environmental projects undertaken in Bahrain for URS / Scott Wilson.  He studied Environmental Policy in an International Context as part of his BSc (Hons) Degree and has gained first hand experience of marine eco-systems in Africa, Europe and the past three years in the Middle East.  In addition to his primary role as an Engineer, he is a Commercial Diving Supervisor and spends time much underwater of the Bahrain coastline learning about the marine environment.

Mr. Jon Tugores

Jon Tugores + Architects

JTA  is an awarded Barcelona based studio of architecture, that is focused on three aspects of design:

-       Architecture [related to an environmental attitude

-       Eco-Urbanism

-       Cultural activation & Communication

JTA was founded by Professor Jon Tugores ,and is  a group of architects, engineers, students of architecture, a biologist, a philosopher and an artist that together design several king of buildings for public institutions and private clients. More than 100 projects, 4 books, 1 documentary plus several lectures around the world, are part of the dense curriculum of this team.

JTA is currently working in three different continents, designing a 300 mts high multipurpose tower, a church, an airport headquarters, several housing units, and others that will reshape part of the urban skylines of some of the worlds most popular cities.

JTA is known in Europe to be a cultural activator in the sense of communicating the conceptual mixture between architecture  and our natural context. Putting a lot of energy into their projects in order for them to be eco-friendly, in an international panorama that’s more aware everyday of our deep tribute to the planet.

Mr. Francisco Paulo de Almeida Aleixo

Born in Lisbon, Portugal, on the 23th of August, 1973.

Degree in Civil Engineering, with a specialization in Buildings and Construction, from the Lisbon’s Engineering Institute.

Developed academic research in the field of Sustainability in the Construction Industry.

Developed work in the construction, sustainability and renewable energy sectors in high profile companies.

Collaboration with Foster Wheeler in one of the biggest waste-to-energy plants in the world, in Lisbon.

Worked for 9 years in Acciona Group, occupying several positions. In Acciona Infrastructures, developed work in the design of urban waste, water and wastewater treatment plants. Some of these plants had energy recovery systems.

As General Manager of Acciona Energy in Portugal, was responsible for the design, licensing and installation of the world’s largest PV power plant at the time, 46 MW (even today is the largest installation using solar trackers), other medium size PV installations and a 29 MW wind farm. Has participated in several tenders for other wind and solar installations. Was also responsible for the design and construction of a 20 MW, silicon based PV panel assembly plant and the design and construction of the first Zero Emissions Building in Portugal.

Has spent the last year and a half working in the MENA region.

Has collaborated as Program Director, establishing one of the first renewable energy companies in the region, MENA Solar Energy. This company has operations in Libya, Turkey, KSA, Bahrain and Oman. So far, it has established several JVs for business development, contacted several potential clients, designed a 50 MW PV power plant for Libya (expandable to 200MW), developed several solar street lighting systems, is in the process of designing a solar water heating factory and a line of solar water heaters, and we are studying the feasibility of using renewable energy solutions for several clients in Oman. From the consultancy point of view has worked for the Libyan Government as advisers supporting the policy making and renewable energy strategy formulation.

Currently is working in the MENA Region as an independent sustainability and renewable energy consultant. As consultant, is still involved in the development of MENA solar Energy’s projects.

* Foster Wheeler is a global engineering and construction contractor and power equipment supplier. It is one of the leading companies in the waste to energy industry.

** ACCIONA is known to be a world leader in sustainable development. It is an industry leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) and Dow Jones STOXX Sustainability Index (DJSI STOXX), and a member of the S&P Global Clean Energy Index, and the KLD Global Climate 100 Index.

Ms. Janice Zamparutti

Jan Zamparutti is the Director of Educational Technology and Assistant Superintendent of South District in the Winnipeg School Division in Canada.  She chairs The Winnipeg School Division’s Education for Sustainable Development Committee. (ESD) Jan has been responsible to ensure that The Winnipeg School Division has a current Sustainable Development Plan and she collects data and formally reports the data to the Board of Trustees of The Winnipeg School Division .

Jan has organized and participated in many workshops, public forums, and conferences in the area of sustainability including; The UNESCO World ESD Conference in Bonn Germany in 2009. She was instrumental in organizing the Sustainability and Education Academy for Manitoba school divisions and she has been the anchor for discussion on sustainable development with the Manitoba Association of School Superintendents.  Along with Curt Belton she has also presented on ESD at the provincial principals conference, and to schools in the Winnipeg School Division.

Jan brings an unique perspective to Sustainable Development as her background is First Nations (indigenous) and she belongs to the Brokenhead Ojibwe First Nation. Jan was raised according to First Nations culture and understands the special relationship that people have with Mother Earth.

• “The Commission for the Protection of Marine Resources, Environment & Wildlife – Bahrain Leading Role in Sustainability” – ‘Adaptation of Laws and Policies Parallel to Vision 2030′

• “Sustainable  Economic Foreign Policy”  -  ‘Focus on International Rules in Environmental and Social Solidarity’
  

• “Sustainable Banking – Sustainable Investment”  -  ‘Corporate Social Responsibility and Socially Responsible Investment’ (CSR/SRI)

• “Contemporary Architecture” – ‘Related to Environmental and Historical Context’

• “Building Highest Standards” – ‘Best in Class Environment  – Creation of Sustainable Technology Centre’

• “Journey Towards Sustainable Aluminium Industry”  – ‘Aluminium for the Future Generations’

• “Sustainability Opportunities and Challenges – for The Telecom Sector in Bahrain”

• “SAMSUNG Green Management”  – ‘Innovative Eco Products, Sustainable Operations and Take-Back & Recycling Programs’

• “Eco Banking” – ‘Corporate Social Responsibility – Giving Back to the Community!

• “Education Beyond Borders” – The Development of Students Knowledge, Initiatives, Participation and Commitment to the Environment’

• “The Evolution of Green Banking”  – ‘Compliance and Commitment to the Environment – for the Future of Bahrain’

• “The Passionate Call” – ‘One Person Can make A Difference -  And – Every Person Should Try!’ – “Determining the Power of Purpose and Possibilities”