Sohar: Activities of the Conference on Environmental Law and Sustainable Development Plan 2030 titled ‘Towards Building a Sustainable Economy in the Middle East and North Africa Region,’ began at Sohar University in North Al Batinah Governorate today.
The conference was held under the aegis of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and in technical cooperation and partnership with SADER Legal Publishing (MENA) and the UNESCO Chair in Environmental Law at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in the State of Qatar.
The opening ceremony of the conference was held under the patronage of Dr. Mahad Said Ba’owain, Minister of Labour.
Dr. Hamdan Sulaiman Al Fazari, Vice Chancellor of Sohar University, explained that the conference aims to bring together specialists in the field of environmental education, university lecturers, trainers and practitioners in the field of environmental law to exchange knowledge and experience on how to enhance the education and practice of environmental law in the region.
He added
that this conference also aims to exchange information and best practices on the role of environmental law in accelerating progress in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) in the region.
Public and private institutions, including higher education institutions and universities around the world, are working extensively on various strategic plans to achieve the desired goals in line with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and national priorities, Al Fazari said.
The two-day conference will also discuss four main themes. The first theme talks about international environmental law and SDGs. The second theme highlights local and regional approaches, and the multi-stakeholder approach in addressing the latest developments in the field of adopting environmental, social, and governance standards throughout the region. The third theme discusses teaching environmental law to implement SDGs. Finally, the fourth theme deals with practical applications that touch on the current gaps in capacity development
and the needs of ministries and institutions related to environmental law in the region and how to meet and implement them appropriately.
The conference also included a number of workshops on a number of legal topics related to the environment, including the rule of international environmental law, the SDGs, the integrated and multi-stakeholder approach to the SDGs, and enhancing environmental legal education on biodiversity and nature conservation.
The conference provides a platform to share and exchange information on the resources, skills and methodologies required to equip environmental officials and students in the region with law and governance skills with the aim of promoting SDGs in their areas of specialization.
Source: Oman News Agency