Prof. Waleed Zubari, Dean of the College of Education, Science and Technology and Professor of Water Resources at the Arabian Gulf University, participated in the 16th Conference of Parties (COP16) to combat desertification held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The conference brought together high-level officials, policymakers, international organisations, companies, and non-governmental organisations to accelerate global initiatives to restore soil fertility, enhance capacity to face drought and promote global water governance.

Prof. Zubari presented a discussion session organised by UNESCO’s Doha Office, where he reviewed the process of groundwater management and its resilience, highlighting the challenges posed by climate change and sustainable water management. He also presented the International Hydrological Programme’s 9th Water Plan, which aims to address future challenges.

Furthermore, Prof. Zubari stressed the importance of sustainable groundwater management and its impact on climate change mitigation. He emphasised that sustainability standards are based on social, economic and political factors, as groundwater reserves are a vital component of national water security. He also highlighted the opportunities for using Artificial Intelligence in groundwater management, including predicting future scenarios using mathematical models and integrating data from various sources to ensure a deeper understanding of groundwater systems.

The conference featured several prominent sessions, ministerial dialogues and announcements of new initiatives aimed at addressing the pressing challenges related to land degradation and drought.

The event is considered one of the largest international gatherings focused on protecting land and combating desertification. It discussed innovative solutions to address environmental challenges resulting from climate change.

In a related development, according to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, land degradation affects around 40 percent of the world’s land area, affecting more than 3.2 billion people every year. Since 2000, droughts have increased by 29%, mainly due to climate change and unsustainable land management.