AFED announces its Annual Conference on 29-30 November 2012 in Beirut

The report was prepared by a large team of experts, researchers and policy makers, in order to develop the conclusions and recommendations that can secure the best chances of development and sustainability for Arab countries, and in some cases even provide the chance for survival itself.

The team's work was coordinated by Najib Saab, AFED Secretary General, whereas the higher committee included Dr. Mostafa Kamal Tolba, former Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme 'UNEP', Dr. Mohamed El-Ashry, former head of the Global Environment Facility 'GEF', Dr. Adnan Badran, President of Petra University and former Jordanian Prime Minister, Dr. Abdelrahman Al-Awadi, Executive Secretary of the Regional Organization for the Protection of Marine Environment 'ROPME' and former Kuwaiti Minister of Health, Dr. Ibrahim Abdel Gelil, Director of the Environment Management Programme at Arabian Gulf University and Dr. Abdul-Karim Sadik, senior economic consultant at the Kuwait Fund for Development.

AFED Secretary General, Najib Saab, disclosed that, "During the conference, and for the first time, the Ecological Footprint Atlas which explores resource constraint in the Arab countries will be unveiled."

The renowned Global Footprint Network 'GFN' was commissioned by AFED to produce this Atlas, under the supervision of its President and founder Mathis Wackernagel.

The study aims to provide an ecological bank statement for the Arab region. It is hoped that the 2012 AFED report will help promote the concept of ecological accounts and move towards their integration in decision making.

In addition to the team working on the report and 12 ministers from across the Arab region, speakers at the conference will include José Maria Figueres, Chairman of the Carbon War Room and former president of Costa Rica, Julia Matron-Lefevre, Director General, International Union for the Conservation of Nature 'IUCN', Dr. Ashok Khosla, President, Club of Rome, Dr. Soogil Young, Chairman of the Korean Presidential Advisory Committee on Green Growth, Raymond Audi, Chairman of Audi-Saradar Group, and Sus Ulbæk, Danish deputy Minister of foreign affairs and Green Ambassador.

A special ministerial panel will be held under the title Sustainability Options: Policies for Survival and Growth, with the participation of several ministers, including Dr. Rashid Ahmad bin Fahad, UAE Minister of Environment and Water and Yassine Khayyat, Jordanian Minister of Environment.

The conference is expected to attract over 500 delegates from among AFED members, in addition to hundreds of observers and media representatives. In addition, AFED has confirmed international high-level participants from various countries, including USA, Canada, Mexico, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and UK. AFED annual reports on the state of Arab environment are considered the most credible source on sustainable development issues in the Arab region.