Sustainable Development Initiative in the Arab Region
Arab Experience in implementation
‫ورشة ترسيخ مفهوم التنمية المستدامة‬
‫ اكتوبر‬١٦-١٥ ،‫الدوحة‬2014
Ibrahim Abdel Gelil
Professor Emeritus, Arabian Gulf University
What is SDIAR?
● A framework for implementation of SD
programs in the Arab countries, Arab
regional organizations and international
organizations.
● Addressing challenges to SD in the region.
● Affirming commitment to implement:
– Agenda 21
– The Millennium Declaration, and
– The outcomes of the WSSD
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2
SDIAR: Mechanism for implementation
and monitoring
● Joint secretariat:
–
–
–
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technical secretariat of CAMRE,
secretariat of the Arab Economic & Social Council
UNEP/ROWA
ESCWA
● Follow up by JCEDAR and CAMRE
● Periodic progress reports submitted to the
Arab Summit through the Arab Economic and
Social Council
● Three progress reports in 2008, 2009, and
2011.
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SDIAR: Priority Areas
● Peace and security
● Institutional Framework for Sustainable
Development
● Population and Health
● Education, Awareness, Scientific Research, &
Technology Transfer
● Resources Management
● Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs)
● Production and Consumption
● Globalization, Trade and Investment
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Peace and Security
● It has been one of the major obstacles to achieve SD
in the Arab region
● Arab unilateral and regional efforts to realize peace
and security:
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Post-crisis environmental assessments in Gaza Strip, Lebanon, and Sudan by
UNEP
Support for the Palestinian people in their just struggle to have their independent
state with Al Quds as its capital.
Support of the Syrian people to free their occupied Golan Heights.
Support for the Iraqi people to build their democratic institutions.
Support for the Somali people to establish a national government and territorial
integrity.
Call for turning the Middle East into a zone free of weapons of mass destruction
including nuclear weapons.
5
Regional Institutional Framework for SD
● LAS regional approach to SD:
– The Joint secretariat:
•
•
•
•
technical secretariat of CAMRE
technical secretariat of the Arab ECOSOC
the UNEP/ROWA and
UNESCWA.
– The JCEDAR, as advisory committee to CAMRE.
● Regional organizations (UNESCWA,
UNEP/ROWA, ROPME, PERSGA, MAP)
● Regional declarations
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Arab Initiatives and Declarations
Source: UNESCWA
Adopted Regional Strategies
The strategic plan to develop education in the Arab world
Arab regional strategy on (SCP)
The Arab guideline to improve electricity efficiency and its rationalization at the end
user
The Arab Renewable Energy Strategy (2010-2030)
The Arab Action plan to deal with climate change
The Arab Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction (ASDRR)
The Arab strategy for water security.
The Arab strategy for sustainable agriculture development
National Governance of SD
● The National Institutional Framework
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–
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Autonomous Ministries of the Environment (Lebanon, Jordan, Qatar)
Joint ministries ( Algeria, Sudan, UAE, Tunisia)
Environmental Agencies (Kuwait, KSA, Egypt, UAE)
Environmental directorates in line ministries (KSA)
Environmental Councils/ committees (Bahrain, Syria, Kuwait, Yemen)
National Councils/committees for SD (mostly ad hoc)
National development strategies (Bahrain 2030, Qatar 2030, KSA
development strategy 2025)
● Environmental legislations (guidelines of environmental laws
by CAMRE)
● Ratifications and implementation of MEAs
● Role of bilateral, multilateral donors and Arab Funds in
funding SD projects in the region
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Tunisia’s National Commission for SD (CNDD)
● Established in 1993
● The aim is to reconcile economic and social development with the
preservation of natural resources.
● Composed of the following members:
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–
–
Prime Minister of Tunisia (Chairman)
Minister of the Environment and Sustainable Development (Vice-Chairman)
Other concerned ministers
Representatives from Parliament
Representatives from professional organizations and trade unions
Representatives from the National Women’s Union
Representatives from NGOs active in the areas of environment and development
National Environmental Protection Agency (Rapporteur)
● Assisted by a Technical Committee for Sustainable Development,
which is chaired by the Minister of Environment and Sustainable
Development
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Key elements of the Tunisian approach
● Participatory development of a National Sustainable Development Strategy
(NSDS), in the form of Tunisia’s National Agenda 21
● Creation of a National Commission for Sustainable Development (NCSD)
● Establishment of a Technical Committee to support the work of the NCSD
● Incorporation of key elements of the NSDS into the country’s 5-year
Development Plans, and into associated sectoral plans
● Identification of priority measures and concrete actions for implementation
of NSDS
● Development and implementation of a Local Agenda 21 programme driven
by the NSDS;
● Annual monitoring of the NSDS, using indicators covering economic, social
and environmental dimensions;
● Responding to monitoring results through actions to revise implementation
measures.
Source: UNESCWA
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Current Gaps in Governance
● The current setup proved to be not effective in
addressing the three pillars of SD.
● Environmental institutions have had limited
capacity and influence to address wide range of
SD issues.
● Weak implementation and lack of monitoring and
evaluation (Algeria and Tunisia)
● Centralized governance, weak policy coherence
and fragmentation
● Limited and constrained roles of NGOs and media
in achieving SD (AFED and RAED at the regional
level)
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Poverty Alleviation
● Sharp disparity between high income GCC and Arab
LDCs, Iraq and Palestine
● The region is on track to halve population living under
$1.25/day by 2015
● Ratio of male/female youth unemployment rate is 2:3
● Poverty is concentrated in rural areas
● Unemployment is a major development challenge
(Average rate is 12 % of the labor force (2005-2008))
● The region is lagging behind in the target of halving
hunger (Somalia, Yemen, and Gaza strip are suffering
from food poverty)
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Population and Health: Under 5 MR (MDG 4)
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Population and Health
● Disparity between GCC and the Arab LCDs.
● The prevalence of HIV/AIDS is low.
● Malaria is still endemic in four LDCs, and
limited geographic area in Iraq and border of
Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
● Djibouti, Mauritania and Sudan remain the
region’s biggest challenge concerning TB
reduction.
● Effects of political instability and conflicts on
water and sanitation infrastructure (Somalia,
Iraq, and Gazza)
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Education: The strategic plan to develop education in the
Arab world (Damascus Summit 2008)
 More than
60 million
people are
illiterates
 9 million
school-age
children are
out of school
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Researcher per million inhabitants
GERD per researcher (K$)
Selected Indicators of R&D in the Arab Countries
38.4
2007
158.9
34.3
2002
136
Arab States
world
373.2
2007
1080.8
354.9
2002
926.1
0
200
400
Source: UNESCO, 2010
600
800
1000
1200
17
World Share of Scientific Publications
1.4
Arab States
1.8
Turkey
2.7
Brazil
3.3
Republic of Korea
2008
2002
7.2
UK
7.7
Germany
27.7
US
0
5
10
Source: UNESCO, 2010
15
20
25
30
35
18
GERD/GDP Ratio (2007)
Source: UNESCO, 2010
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Highlights of S&T in the Arab Countries
● Many Arab Countries still have no National Policies or
strategies for S&T.
● Qatar’s initiatives in S&T and education.
● The UAE is the highest ranking in terms of capacity for
innovation.
● Science Parks in Bahrain, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi
Arabia, Tunisia, and UAE.
● Jordan’s law to compel Universities to allocate 5% of
their budgets to R&D.
● Low private sector spending in R&D (Tunisia is ranked
highest)
● Lack of/ or weak national and regional collaborations.
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Environmental Information Systems.
● A working group on indicators for sustainable development.
● Adopted group of SD indicators (KSA, Jordan, Tunisia, Qatar,
Egypt.
● A working group on Arab Network for environmental
information.
● Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative (AGEDI).
● Three GEO Collaborating Centers ACSAD, AGU, CEDARE.
● Arab Region: Atlas of our Changing Environment (UNEP).
● West Asia GEO Data Portal (UNEP/ROWA).
● First Arab Environment Outlook Report.
● State of the environment report (Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia)
● Kuwait Environmental portal
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Protection of Biodiversity and Biosafety
● Biodiversity conservation has been deeply
rooted in Arab cultures (Hema system)
● The Region has over 150 protected terrestrial
areas, 6 biosphere reserves, and 20
protected wetlands.
● Programs for the captive breeding of Arabian
Oryx, Houbara bustard and some gazelle
species (UAE)
● Most Arab countries are parties to the CBD,
CITES, CMS, and RAMSAR
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Protection of Biodiversity and Biosafety
● The restoration of the Mesopotamian
marshlands of Iraq (UNEP)
● The preservation of local wheat varieties in
Jordan and Syria.
● ACSAD’s network of sub-regional genetic
banks in Egypt, Morocco, Saudi Arabia,
and Syria.
● Policy framework for biosafety is still a
challenge in most Arab Countries.
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Air Quality Management
● Policies and measures to improve air
quality include:
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4/8/2015
Energy Efficiency
Renewable energy
Air quality standards
Vehicle emission standards
Air monitoring networks
Public awareness
Industrial pollution abatement, and
Sustainable transport
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Air Quality Management/2
● Phasing out Pb from Gasoline
● Major refineries in the GCC have reduced
sulfur contents in petroleum products.
● Reduction of gas flaring (El-Shaheen Field
in Qatar) .
● Air quality monitoring networks in many
countries
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Energy for Sustainable Development
● “Arab guideline to improve electricity
efficiency and its rationalization at the end
use” by LAS
● Pan-Arab RE strategy by LAS (2030)
● Many Arab Countries have announced
national targets of EE and RE
● Massive RE and Nuclear energy strategy in
KSA (50 GW by 2032)
● MASDAR sustainable energy initiatives in
UAE.
● Aggressive RE development in Morocco.
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RE Installed Capacity in the Arab Countries
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Multilateral Environmental Agreements
● Three standing committees were formed:
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UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol,
Chemical management, and
Biodiversity and desertification.
● Countries are parties to large number of MEAs,
burden on institutional capacity.
● The Arab participation in the CDM has been very
low.
● Only six Arab countries have participated in the
CDM.
● Large CDM potential in the region has not been
fully utilized yet.
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Registered CDM Projects in the Arab Countries
(2013)
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Production and Consumption
● The Arab10YFP SCP was adopted by
CAMRE in 2009
● The Strategy identifies 6 priority areas:
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4/8/2015
energy for sustainable development
water resources management,
waste management,
rural development and eradication of poverty,
education and sustainable lifestyles, and
sustainable tourism.
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Challenges for Sustainable Development
● GOVERNANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
● CONFLICTS, TERRORISM AND REGIONAL
SECURITY
● CLIMATE CHANGE
● WATER SCARCITY, POOR LAND RESOURCES,
AND FOOD SECURITY
● EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT,
● UNEMPLOYMENT
● RAPID POLPULATION GROWTH
● POVERTY and SOCIAL INEQUALITY
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The SDIAR: GAPS, needs to update
● Has no additional funding for implementation
● Meant to use the available resources in:
–
–
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the Arab countries
the relevant Arab regional and international organizations, and
the Arab regional and international financial institutions
● Has no clear time frame
● Has no clear measurable goals
● No harmonized reporting format
● No indicators to monitor progress (nationally,
and regionally)
8 April 2015
Thank You
Ibrahim Abdel Gelil
iagelil@yahoo.com