Gulf Eco 2010 Symposium to discuss GCC’s sustainable water resources

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Muscat – The Gulf Eco 2010 Symposium under the theme “Sustainability, Climate Change, Water, Renewable Energy and the Future of Communities in the Gulf Region” to be held on January 12, 2010 at the Golden Tulip Hotel will discuss on the challenges of renewable water resources and its rising demands in the GCC countries.

The GCC countries comprising Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are facing the most severe water shortages in the world. The region’s rapid population growth and accelerated socio-economic development have significantly contributed to the increase in water demands, which have escalated from less than 5 billion cubic meter (bcm), in 1970 to more than 32 cbm in 2005. These demands have been driven mainly by agricultural consumptions, which comprise 85% of total water used, and by rapid urban expansion.

The scarcity of renewable water resources along with the inadequate levels of management and the continuous deterioration of its natural water resources have become the region’s distinguishing features. To meet domestic water supply requirement, GCC countries have turned to desalination and have become collectively become the world leaders with about 45% of the world capacity.

Dr. Waleed K. Al Zubari, Water Resources Management Program Vice President and Academic Affairs Editor-in-Chief at the Arab Gulf Journal of Scientific Research (AGJSR) Arabian Gulf University in Bahrain, will shed light on the topic “Sustainable Water Resources Management in GCC countries”. Dr. Al Zubari will tackle on water management, groundwater resources, desalination and water recycling and its environmental impact.

The Symposium will also highlight on the Overview on the Over-all Situation of the GCC Environment: Challenges, Opportunities & Action Plans, to be presented by Dr. Mohamed Raouf, Pogram Manager - Environment Research at the Gulf Research Center; Success Stories on Waste Management & Recycling to be delivered Mr. Mohammed Al Masrori, HSE Manager Oman India Fertilizer Company; State of the Art of Remediation for Petroleum Industries by Mr. Arul Ayyasdwami, Vice President and the Program Director TerraSure Development LLC (Subsidiary of Gannett Fleming); Climate Change After Copenhagen by Mr. Ibrahim Bin Ahmed Al-Ajmi, Director General of Climate Affairs Ministry of Environment & Climate Affairs, among others. A panel discussion will be facilitated by key players from various environment organisations.

Sherwin Sevillena, Sr. Manager – Research and Development at Oman International Trade and Exhibitions (OITE), the event organiser, said “Gulf Eco 2010 will provide participants with the overview of the over-all situation of the GCC environment challenges, opportunities and action plans, various topics and discussions on climate change, water resources, waste water management and renewable energy”.

Organised under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs, and supported by the United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Gulf Eco 2010 Symposium will provide stakeholders, policy-makers, researchers, academia and leaders in the business community with the best networking platform to determine the initiatives required to reach manageable eco-solutions.

The Conference will be held alongside the Gulf Eco exhibition, which will take place at the Oman International Exhibition Centre from January 11 to 13, 2010. For conference information, contact James Miller at 97141205 or log on to www.oite.com