Opening of the 10th scientific conference of Ain Shams University, the University as an Anchor of Development…Towards the New Republic

The activities of the tenth scientific conference of Ain Shams University, entitled "The University and Building Man towards the New Republic", were launched in the presence of Dr. Mohamed Abdel Atti, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, d. Mahmoud Mohieldin, Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund, Dr. Maya Morsi, President of the National Council for Women Prof. Dr. Mahmoud El-Metini, President of Ain Shams University, Prof. Dr. Stephen Davison Deputy Director of Cambridge Zero, COP26 International Collaboration Leader, Prof. Dr.. Ehab Abdel Rahman, Professor at the American University in Cairo, Prof. Dr. Alaa Sarhan, Professor of Environmental Economics, Prof. Dr. Hesham Al-Askari Professor of Remote Sensing in the United States of America, Prof. Dr. Abdel Fattah Saud, Vice President for Education and Student Affairs, Prof. Dr. Ayman Saleh, Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research, Prof. Dr. Hesham Tamraz, Vice President for Community Service and Environmental Development, and a group of deans and faculty members.

The opening session of the conference dealt with (the experience of the UK university sector during the previous COP26 climate summit events and the overall contributions that universities can make to the climate agenda, and how they can work together through various international networks).

Dr. Mohamed Abdel-Aty, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, reviewed projects to enhance adaptation to climate changes in the northern coast and the Nile Delta, and the ministry’s procedures and projects to adapt to climate changes and confront sea level rise, severe weather phenomena that affect critical low coastal areas, and the intrusion of sea water. In times of crunch, referring to a plan to protect the beaches along our coasts and the use of solar energy in wells.

He made it clear that Egypt seeks to manage its water resources through a future strategic plan to manage our water needs.

Pointing out that the world suffers losses because of water, he added that with the completion of water treatment and recycling projects in Bahr Al-Baqar and Al-Hamam, Egypt will become the largest country in the world in reusing water, in addition to the Benban plant, which is the largest solar power plant in the world.

In a recorded speech, Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry expressed his happiness at his affiliation with Ain Shams University, which throughout its long history has played a tangible role in the cultural, scientific and academic life in Egypt and, through its affiliates, contributed to strengthening Egypt's capabilities and supporting its soft power in all fields.

Pointing out that the topic of the opening session of the conference represents an essential aspect of the necessity to confront climate change at the global level, as it became known the importance of the role played by universities and scientific and research institutions in explaining the phenomenon of climate change, studying its causes and analyzing its effects and repercussions on the planet in a way that contributes to strengthening international efforts to confront climate change. Climate change and adaptation to its effects through deliberate steps using available science and taking into account the economic and social impacts of the actions to be taken.

Pointing to the pivotal role played by universities and research centers in assembling global efforts to confront climate change, the importance of partnership between governments, universities, and scientific and academic institutions to confront climate change, explaining that Egypt's hosting of the Climate Summit is an opportunity to emphasize the leadership and position of Egyptian universities and scientific institutions in studies of the causes of Climate change and scientific research and development in new technologies related to climate change, whether those related to conflict resolution, the transition to new energy sources and adaptation to the negative consequences of climate change in the field of agriculture, beach protection and other priority areas for Egypt and other countries.

As well as the importance of supporting Egyptian universities and scientific institutions to harmonize with each other to enhance awareness of the issue of climate change and its impact on the future of our planet through the role of the individual and his behaviors consistent with efforts to preserve nature and adopting new patterns of consumption and production.

Dr. Mahmoud Mohy Elden, Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund, explained that financing is one of the most important means of implementing and implementing measures to confront climate change, hoping that some countries of the world and international financial institutions will implement their promises at the previous climate summits in Paris, Copenhagen and Glasgow at the next summit in Egypt; Stressing the role of universities, scientific research and investment in infrastructure and human capital, as it is capable of innovation, as well as the agriculture and irrigation system, and everything related to human nutrition, in addition to attracting investments from the private sector to participate in the financing process at the global level, adding that there are many solutions On top of them comes universities and scientific research with investments and human capital.

Dr. Maya Morsi, head of the National Council for Women, confirmed that Egypt launched the National Strategy for the Empowerment of Egyptian Women 2030, and referred to Egypt’s efforts during the Corona Virus pandemic, as Egypt was the first country in the world to issue a quick response policy towards the situation of women in light of the Corona virus, and Egypt It is also the first country in the world to issue a follow-up monitoring mechanism for the policies, decisions and actions that respond to the needs of women taken by the state in light of the spread of the Corona virus, and follow up the implementation process for those policies, pointing out that five versions of the monitoring were launched until January 2021 and more than 165 actions were taken a pandemic precaution that responds to women's needs.

The United Nations Development Program and United Nations Women have released the COVID-19 Global Response Tracker Program, which indicated that Egypt is the first country in the Middle East and North Africa and Arab countries to take gender-sensitive measures, and the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted the Egyptian resolution on strengthening a rapid national and international response to the impact of the coronavirus on women and girls.

With regard to the issue of climate change, Dr. Maya Morsy confirmed that the 66th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women dealt this year with the topic of “women’s empowerment and climate change,” and explained that Egypt is one of the countries most affected by the negative repercussions of climate change, despite its very limited contribution to these repercussions ... as its contribution to global heat emissions does not exceed 0.6%, according to statistics.

She added that violence against women and girls is closely related to climate change, as services related to violence against women are affected by the consequences of climate change and women face obstacles in accessing them, in addition to the health consequences of climate change that affect women's health in different ways (physical and mental health), As well as access to healthcare services and products that are affected by the consequences of climate change.

The President of the National Council for Women added that women and girls’ limited access to and control over resources (including education) is due to their difficulty in accessing information about climate change adaptation and mitigation methods, smart solutions and services in our countries, and this also leads to reduced opportunities for women within the framework of a transition to a “green economy” and economic empowerment

She noted that there are certain groups of women who face complex consequences of climate change, such as women with disabilities, rural women, women who live in the most affected geographical areas such as coastal areas, and women working in various sectors.

Dr. Maya Morsi explained that women are an essential element and an active factor in achieving the hoped-for change in dealing with various aspects of climate change.

She reviewed the international presentation of Egypt's vision of the issue of women, environment and climate change, which is based on several basic pillars that include working on methods that take into account the needs of women during the process of adaptation and mitigation of the repercussions of climate change, enhancing women's effectiveness and their effective participation during the stages of environmental governance, and benefiting from women's employment opportunities During the process of a just environmental transition to a green economy and rational consumption within the framework of the sustainable development goals, addressing the health and social impacts and repercussions of environmental deterioration on women, promoting awareness and behavioral change on women’s issues and climate change, enhancing the production of data and knowledge on women’s issues, environment, and climate change, and applying the principles of empowerment Women and taking into account their needs during the climate change process.

Dr. Maya Morsi confirmed that the climate conference to be held at the end of this year in Sharm El-Sheikh will include a focus on empowering women and achieving a just change for women in the direction of a green economy.

During his speech, Prof. Dr. Mahmoud El-Metini, President of Ain Shams University, announced the establishment of the Center of Excellence for Sustainability, noting that the university organizes its conference in light of the state's interest in building the human being in accordance with Egypt's 2030 vision.

He explained that in line with the rapid international developments and the keenness of the political leadership in Egypt to keep pace with contemporary thought and the extreme scientific evidence in the issue of climate change and sustainability in general, the university has developed its academic curricula, courses and applied research to include and integrate climate and sustainability issues in them.

In recent months, there have been many countries adopting a green recovery policy to get out of the global crisis caused by the Corona pandemic, and the Egyptian state has been a pioneer in adopting the concept of green economy and green growth as one of the most important strategies for recovery from the dangers of the Corona pandemic.

Stressing that the university believes in the importance of the university’s educational and research role in supporting the state’s efforts to achieve a better life for the citizen now and for future generations and keeping pace with the state’s efforts to confront climate challenges and its keenness to make the climate summit to be held in Sharm El-Sheikh a success, the university has translated this thought and strategic direction into scientific and applied research with academic courses This is to emphasize the importance of sustainable development and green recovery to achieve tangible, measurable results, and to strengthen its implications by applying a flexible practical approach to achieve tangible results that can be measured through its economic and environmental axes, taking into account the social aspect, which the political leadership is keen to observe.

Adding that the university wanted to shed light on the importance of investing in human capital and the Egyptian citizen in particular, to be the main pillar of the state to achieve a quality of life and a better future, and we are on the threshold of the new republic. Here, the benefit of investing in people and its great return on the present and future generations in line with the concept of sustainable development becomes clear, referring to the efforts of former university professors and leaders who established the first specialized institute in environmental sciences in 1982, from which many leaders who held technical and leadership positions in Egypt and abroad, when the concept of the environment was still in its infancy in Egypt and the region, and explained that many of the university’s students are international experts in the field of sustainable education in the United Nations specialized agencies, the World Bank and other international organizations.

Prof. Dr. Ayman Saleh, Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research Affairs, referred to Herodotus' saying that "Egypt is the gift of the Nile" and the assertion of Mr. Mohamed Hassanein Heikal, "Egypt's establishment on two pillars, the Nile River and its national unity,". He added that Egypt is based on the Egyptian person, who is strengthened by his strength and weakened by his weakness. From this point of view, the title of the conference was in line with the goals of the new Egyptian Republic, which is to build the human being intellectually and physically, based on the adoption of knowledge as a basis for life and the resulting innovations and entrepreneurship.

He pointed out that knowledge means adopting all its aspects, making it available, its applications and innovations for the whole community inside and outside the walls of the university, hence the keenness that all conference studies be based on ideas that brewed in the minds of their owners and were nurtured by university professors and the Center for Innovations.

Stressing that the stormy international and regional conditions that the world is going through, it was necessary for climate change and sustainability science and policies to be central to the conference sessions, as the international community relies on the importance of Egypt’s role in the success of the climate summit in line with the important role that Egypt has played in the past years in reaching to a consensus of views and joint action with the various countries of the Arab and African region.

Moreover, he added that Ain Shams University is keen to link its plan and research activities to real issues and problems on the ground so as to provide realistic and applied solutions that contribute to addressing the effects of possible climate changes and the sustainability of natural resources, as the university’s graduate studies and research sector encourages and provides all support with the necessary incentives and facilities to adapt research, scientific and academic activities in this direction, there are many applied researches in the field of adaptation and adaptation to climate changes, including the project of cultivating jojoba using wastewater with high salinity, to reduce carbon emissions, and its use in the production of biofuels, and a number of applied researches concerned with assisting the industrial sector in obtaining cleaner purification, which reduces carbon emissions in energy uses.