Dr Sumaya Yusuf, Assistant Professor of Environmental Engineering at the College of Education, Administrative and Technical Studies at the Arabian Gulf University (AGU), and Coordinator of the Professional Diploma in Waste Management, participated in Oman Climate Week. The event was organised by the Environment Authority in the Sultanate of Oman in cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), under the theme "Living in a Sustainable World."

The events aimed to explore solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change and to unify global efforts in several areas to ensure the achievement of climate change mitigation goals, and to support the adoption and scaling up of solutions.

The week's activities included discussions on climate challenges and exploration of solutions through panel sessions that covered topics such as: "Youth at the Heart of Climate Action," "Circular Economy and Turning Waste into Investment Opportunities," and "Carbon Capture and Removal: Between Ambition and Technical Challenges." 

Dr Sumaya Yusuf represented AGU in the scientific conference sessions on sustainable waste management, which included a review of several academic and technical research papers from various sectors, including the industrial, academic, and investment sectors, in the field of modern technologies for sustainable waste management and innovation, as well as converting waste into sustainable energy for a sustainable environment.

The activities also included an exhibition for students and researchers from all academic levels, where they presented valuable research in the field of sustainable waste management and the circular economy. 

The events aimed to find solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change and their applications in the Middle East and North Africa region, and to unify global efforts to ensure the achievement of climate change mitigation goals, in addition to achieving six main objectives: promoting climate action, facilitating regional and international cooperation, supporting local, regional and international businesses, supporting the adoption and scaling up of solutions, demonstrating the commitment of the Sultanate of Oman, and encouraging community participation.

Over 250 speakers from more than 60 countries and over 2,000 registered participants from the Sultanate of Oman and various friendly countries and international and regional organisations participated in the events.

For her part, during an open panel discussion, Dr Sumaya Yusuf emphasised the need for cooperation and unification of Gulf efforts to achieve sustainable and integrated waste management in the GCC countries, as well as to achieve optimal utilisation of resources through the involvement of stakeholders from all sectors, such as the industrial, commercial, academic, and financial sectors. 

She also called for supporting investment in the circular economy and removing obstacles in order to reach a sustainable society, thereby contributing to the mitigation of the effects of climate change.

It's worth noting that Oman Climate Week was organised with the participation of Sultan Qaboos University, the University of Technology and Applied Sciences, the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, and BERBA.