The impact of climate change upon coastal cities is often simply portrayed as a ‘battle against sea-level rise’ (SLR). While this is of real concern for Doha and other coastal settlements around the Gulf’s coastline, SLR will be but one of the probable impacts of climate change within the region. Aside from SLR, recent predictions also show, that there are likely to be more extreme weather events and an increase in annual temperature that could be several degrees above the increase in average annual world temperature predicted by the UNFCCC. Unless adaptive urban strategies are implemented this will greatly challenge human comfort and health in Qatar and the GCC region.

Like most other nations the resilience of Qatar’s existing building stock to withstand the shock of climate change is highly questionable and it is likely that significant upgrading and retrofitting will be required. Moreover, without such retrofitting works to the existing building stock, it is unlikely that Qatar will achieve the CO2 reductions it has pledged. A true appreciation of what these urgent adaptive strategies are and the effect that they will have upon Qatar’s built environment therefore is now critical.

An in depth understanding of these adaptive strategies necessary to deliver future resilient and sustainable urban environments in the region’s hot and arid climates, will be explored during this conference. Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC), together with the French Embassy in Qatar, and the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies (DIGS) have assembled a team of international and local experts who will provide important insights into both the science of climate change and the necessary adaptive strategies together with their effect on Qatar’s and the regions’ coastal cities.

6.00 – 6.05 pm          Welcome note by H.E The French Ambassador to the State of Qatar
                                  HE Jean-Baptiste Faivre, Ambassador of France to the State of Qatar

6.05 – 6.15 pm          Welcome Note and Introduction by Qatar Green Building Council
                                  Meshal Al Shamari - Director, Qatar Green Building Council

6.15 – 6.30 pm          Introduction to the event’s themes by panel chair
                                  Dr Alex Amato, Head of Research, Qatar Green Building Council

6.30 – 6.45 pm         Climate change and Coastal Cities: What the latest IPCC report tells
                                 us?
                                 Dr Aida Diongue-Niang, Deputy Country representative to Senegal,
                                 Global Green Growth Institute

6.45 – 7.00 pm         Growing resilient, productive, livable coastal cities in the face of
                                 climate change
                                 Dr Stéphane Hallegatte, Lead Economist of the Climate Change Group, The
                                 World Bank

7.00 – 7.15 pm         Climate Change and the Expected Impacts in Qatar
                                 Dr Laurent Lambert, Water-Energy Climate Nexus, School of Public
                                 Administration and Development Economics, Doha Institute of Graduate
                                 Studies

7.15 – 7.30 pm        Post Carbon architectural, urban and terrestrial studies in France
                                - a ten year survey
                                Jean-François Blassel, Head of the Post-Carbon Architecture post-graduate    
                                program, French National, School of Architecture at Marne La Vallée

7.30 – 7.45 pm        Coastal Zone, Adaptive Strategies in light of climate change –
                                a construction industry response
                                Steven Humphrey, Director, Leigh and Orange Middle East

Panel Discussion and Q&A

8.00 – 8.05 pm         Summary and Close by Dr Alex Amato

                               

This event is run part of Qatar Sustainability Week 2021, go to www.qatarsustainabilityweek.com and register your Initiative, event, activity and pledge to make changes in your lifestyle for your health, wellbeing, economy, future, and the planet we live on.