Moulay Zaid Urges MENA Region to Develop Climate Change Mitigation Plan

Moulay Zaid, the Dean of the College of Business and Economics at Qatar University (QU), called for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to develop a strong climate change mitigation plan to protect the region's socioeconomic progress from environmental threats. Zaid made the remarks as QU's College of Business and Economics launched the first regional edition of the MENA Business Schools Alliance for Sustainability (MEBAS) Sustainability Competition.

The educational simulation challenge, designed to promote an understanding of sustainability through interactive applied learning, brought together student teams from across the MENA region to share practical strategies for sustainable business practices under the theme 'Promoting Sustainability through Play and Learning'. Ten university teams from prestigious institutions in Morocco, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait participated in the competition.

Why this matters: The MEBAS Sustainability Competition aims to create a network among students to build relationships, share ideas, and cultivate a community of future leaders well-versed in balancing profitability with environmental stewardship. The initiative focuses on education, research, and connecting students and academics with the business community to increase awareness and engagement on sustainability issues critical to the region's future.

"The competition aimed to create a network among students, helping them to build relationships and share ideas, thereby cultivating a community of future leaders who are well-versed in balancing profitability with environmental stewardship," said Zaid. The initiative's main areas of focus include education, research, and connecting students and academics with the business community to increase awareness and engagement among students, whom the organizers see as the future leaders of the region.

The call for a strong climate change mitigation plan comes as the MENA region faces growing concerns over the impacts of climate change, including water scarcity and economic instability. The 8th annual Sulaimani Forum, set to be held on April 17-18, 2024 in Iraq, will bring together local and international thought leaders to address these pressing challenges, with a focus on the environment, economic development, and geopolitics in Iraq and the broader Middle East.

Key Takeaways

• QU Dean calls for MENA region to develop climate change mitigation plan.
• QU's College of Business launched MEBAS Sustainability Competition for MENA students.
• Competition aims to build a network of future leaders in sustainable business.
• MENA region faces climate change impacts like water scarcity and instability.
• Sulaimani Forum 2024 to address environment, economy, and geopolitics in the Middle East.