Meeting sheds light on climate change’s impact on marine environments

AMMAN — The impact of climate change and efforts to preserve environmental resources took centre stage during a presentation, titled “Coral missions in the Red Sea: A first Jordanian Milestone”, organised by the Swiss-Jordanian Business Club at the King Hussein Club in Amman on Tuesday. 

The meeting “brings the science and business communities together” in order to tackle one of the biggest challenges that we have ever faced:  Global climate change and the protection of environment”, noted Swiss Ambassador to Jordan Emilija Georgieva.

She added that climate change poses a security question, which is of utmost importance for “all of us”.

Switzerland uses science and diplomacy as key tools as scientific research goes beyond borders and across political lines, Georgieva said.

Referring to Jordan’s geographical location, Chairman of the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) Khaled Al Irani said that the country connects Asia, Africa and Europe.

The role of the RSCN is to establish a national plan to protect natural reserves and ecology of Jordan, Irani emphasised, adding that their slogan is “helping nature-helping people”.

In his keynote address Professor Anders Meibom, director of the Transnational Red Sea Centre, said that coral reefs are disappearing at a dramatic rate, a trend associated with local pollution, bad fishing practices and poorly managed tourism.

“There’s no way to sugarcoat it, the situation is very serious,” Meibom underlined, adding that there is hope in the northern part of the Red Sea as some of corals there are resistant to global warming. 

The Middle East is a very complex geopolitical region, Meibom said, adding that Swiss diplomacy can play a constructive role in connecting governments and experts in the Middle East to work towards the alleviation of environmental problems caused by global warming.

The exchange of scientific ideas and development of new technology on the ground will enhance trust between different partners and policy-makers, Meibom said.

Speaking also during the ceremony, Chairman of Swiss Jordanian Business Club Adnan Talhouni said that through social and cultural events, the club built a database for Jordanian companies conducting businesses in Switzerland.