RIYADH — Vice-President and Senior Associate of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) Dr. Najah Yousef Ashry stressed the importance of devoting research knowledge, studies and technologies in order to protect and sustain the environment and reduce the effects of climate change.

She noted that KAUST is keen to intensify its partnerships with various parties concerned with research and studies of climatic variables.

On the sidelines of hosting a workshop entitled "Climate Change Risks, Challenges and Opportunities" by KAUST, in cooperation with the organization of the National Center of Meteorology, represented by the Climate Change Center, Dr. Najah said that the two-day event contributes to supplementing the efforts of the Center.

This is done through cooperation at the national level and framing the climate information exchange mechanism, in addition to enhancing the participation of research centers in universities.

The workshop witnessed the participation of 200 researchers and specialists from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's various government and research agencies and bodies.

For his part, the CEO of the National Center of Meteorology, Dr. Ayman Bin Salem Ghulam, reviewed the goals of the Climate Change Center that are integrated with the Saudi Green Initiative and the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.

The Vision 2030 seeks to protect the environment and ensure its sustainability, reduce the effects of climate change, increase reliance on clean energy and reduce carbon emissions in parallel with afforestation of the Kingdom and raising the percentage of vegetation cover in it.

He pointed out that the announcement of Crown Prince about the establishment of the Climate Change Center at the "Middle East Green Initiative" summit, which was held in October 2021, comes within a package of initiatives that enhance the Kingdom's main role in the international system, towards the phenomenon of climate change.

Dr. Ghulam also stressed the role of the meteorological sector in development programs, plans and projects and in supporting the country's regional and international orientations with regard to climate and environment.

The workshop aims to enhance technological and technical capabilities and achieve the desired goals of the Climate Change Center through coordination with the participants in the workshop and transfer of knowledge in the field of studies, research and techniques related to the tasks and goals of the Center and benefiting from the experiences of specialists to develop and apply the best tools of climate science models.

It also aims to study the climatic changes expected to affect the region, identify the needs of the concerned authorities from the Center for Climate Change and build bridges of communication with the concerned authorities, in addition to establishing an appropriate mechanism for exchanging climate information at the national level.

This is the first local workshop organized by the Climate Change Center in preparation for the international workshop on climate change, expected to be held next October in Jeddah. — SPA