Free-market Environmentalism, and More

  Published in The Fast Company, June 18th, 2024 2023 was the  hottest year on record , shattering records dating back to the mid-1850s, and driving a heightened sense of urgency around climate action. 2024 might be even hotter, as evidenced by this week’s  extreme heat wave  across the U.S. In the Middle East, already one of the hottest regions on earth, temperatures have risen twice as fast as the global average. Characterized by arid environments, countries in this region have their own set of challenges and needs, necessitating a distinct framework for advancing sustainability policy and solutions. But they’re not alone. Over one-third of the world’s population lives in countries—such as vast areas of Western Asia, northwestern parts of the Indian subcontinent, and South America—with hot and arid environments. To date, global sustainability discussions have largely focused on tropical and temperate countries. They usually assume that the main focus should be on p...

  Published in The Peninsula, Doha, 09 Jun 2024 Mangroves are a special type of coastal forest characterised by their ability to thrive in marine environments. These forests grow on the shoreline, and many are adapted to withstand high levels of salinity, including those in Qatar. More importantly, mangroves are a very critical ecosystem which provide numerous benefits to societies, although often these benefits are not widely recognized. Mangroves store and absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide, thereby reducing the levels of greenhouse gas from the atmosphere. Because they grow on coastal sediments, they help stabilize shorelines and, in this way, protect coastal communities from storms and floods. With increasing levels of sea rise, mangroves will play an even more important role in adapting to climate change. Finally, they provide key habitats for coastal biodiversity, especially as spawning grounds for fish and other forms of marine life, and thus are a crucial ecosystem to s...