Over 200 delegates and guests from around the world attended the third day of the International Conference on Sustainable Energy Water and Environment Nexus in Desert Climates 2019 (ICSEWEN’19), the flagship conference of Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, part of Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), at the Qatar National Convention Centre.

The keynote address for the day was delivered by Dr. Frank Rijsberman, Director General of Global Green Growth Institute, who spoke on the topics of ‘Green Growth to Achieve the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals’. The plenary session also included a panel discussion on ‘Sustainable EWE Development in Desert Climates’ with Dr. Pranab Baruah, Global Green Growth Institute; Dr. Veronica Bermudez representing QEERI, Dr. Roberto Bertolini, an adviser at the Ministry of Public Health, Qatar; Dr. Saad Jasim, International Ozone Association; and Mr. Bjarne Pedersen, Clean Air Asia.

Dr Bermudez, Senior Research Director for Energy at QEERI and Chair of IC-SEWEN 2019, said: “It is of utmost importance for the different players in the Energy-Water-Environment nexus to come together, share knowledge, and collaborate, and combine efforts to tackle climate change challenges and work towards environmental sustainability.”

Dr. Mohammed Ayoub, Senior Research Director, Environment and Sustainability Center at QEERI, and Co-Chair for the Environment track of the conference, said: “The key highlight of IC-SEWEN’19 is the fact that it has brought together experts, and students from diverse backgrounds in terms of technical expertise, knowledge-level, and geographical location. This multidisciplinary approach has allowed us to redefine what sustainability means for this arid desert region. Such conferences provide a platform to develop customized solutions for Qatar, and the region.”

The day also included parallel break-out sessions on energy, water, environment, and food security with delegates from around the world showcased their technical presentations on relevant topics. Meanwhile local and international university students participated in oral and poster presentation competitions.

The strategic partner for QEERI IC-SEWEN 2019 is Kahramaa.  ExxonMobil and Nebras Power are platinum sponsors of the event, while Vortex IoT is on board as the gold sponsor. The conference is further supported by Total, Clarivate Analytics, Qatar National Research Fund, Education City Golf Club, University of Swansea, and Destination Management Partners are 365 Adventures.