SHARM EL-SHEIKH — With delegations and representatives from the 195 member countries of the UN-COP, businesspersons, scientists, and members of indigenous and local communities and activists, the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change — COP27 — kicked off Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022, in the Egyptian resort of Sharm El-Sheikh overlooking the Red Sea. COP27 discussed the concerns regarding how to contain global warming and mitigate the financial costs of climate change, especially for vulnerable countries. The goal is to limit global warming to below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels, as stated in The Paris Agreement 2015. Dr. Tony Chan, president of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), gave a lecture at Sustainable Innovation Forum 2022, the accompanying forum within COP27, entitled " Bold Leadership: Embracing Collaboration and Competition." KAUST also showcased three projects at the Saudi Arabia Pavilion in the blue zone; these projects were (The Future of Hydrogen Economy, Carbon Capture via MOFs, and Storing Carbon Underground). In addition, two Saudi students from KAUST represented the University in the Saudi pavilion at COP27: Firas Al-Ruwaihi, a Ph.D. student in Energy Resources, and Abdulhadi Al-Hajji, a Ph.D. student in Chemical Engineering. Al-Ruwaihi, also participated in a discussion panel at the Saudi pavilion about the future of energy. Furthermore, KAUST participated in the Innovation Zone at COP27 with a pavilion dedicated to sustainability and the environment, attracting many visitors. The University also participated in the Green Zone and the Innovation Zone with many workshops, lectures, and a pavilion highlighting the latest research at KAUST. Moreover, KAUST supported and enriched the Saudi Green Initiative Forum at COP27 with many initiatives and discussion panels by the university's professors. Dr. Tony Chan took part in a discussion panel at the Saudi Green Initiative, Green Zone, entitled, "How To Pave A Career Path In Protecting The Planet." He discussed the most crucial career opportunities in the green energy sector and the options available for green professions in the Middle East region. Dr. Carlos Duarte, professor of Marine Sciences at KAUST, also participated in a discussion panel about developing the Blue Economy. He explained Saudi Arabia's vision and efforts to protect the Red Sea, and how to strengthen international cooperation to protect marine and coastal ecosystems.
