A discussion session was held on Monday, June 5 2023 at Academic Development Center to coincide the World Environment Day. Dr. Ali Muhammad Baabbad; Deputy Dean of the Environmental Sciences and Marine Biology Faculty inaugurated the session with a welcome speech.
Dr. Khalid Bawahdi; Director of the Environmental Studies and Water Resources Center then presented a paper on environmental pollution as a global problem, particularly marine pollution. The paper focused on the oil pollution suffered by the governorate and the country in general, due to the lack of safety standards for most tankers. This was highlighted by the 2013 Champion Wan incident, which resulted in the leakage of large amounts of fuel oil, polluting the sea and killing fish on the coasts. The paper also highlighted the role of the Green Dream site in detecting pollution in Yemen.
Dr. Jaafar Baamer, Head of the Marine Biology Department, presented another scientific paper in which he emphasized the importance of preserving the marine environment of our country’s 2,500-kilometer coastal strip, which is abundant with various fisheries and marine life. He noted that human activities, such as the dumping of tailings, ship waste, and other pollutants from sea exploitation activities, have degraded the marine environment.
Dr. Jamal Abbad, a climate affairs specialist, presented a scientific paper in which he discussed climate change and its impact on the marine environment and coral reefs. He commented on the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which affects the climate and causes temperatures to rise.
On his part, Eng. Naim Al-Amoudi, the General Director of Marine Affairs in Al-Mukalla, discussed how to deal with incidents that occurred in recent years. Then, Engineer Nabil Abdullah Bin Aifan; the Deputy General Director of the Authority, gave an introduction to the Authority, its role, the field of work, the standards and procedures followed by the Authority in monitoring, follow-up, inspection, and licensing.
At the end of the meeting, the attendees agreed on a set of recommendations that would strengthen the relationships and joint work to face challenges, conduct training courses for students, scientific seminars, community contribution, and raise awareness among everyone. The meeting was attended by Dr. Taha Baker, General Director of the Environmental Protection Authority in Shabwah Governorate, the Inspection Officer at the General Authority for Maritime Affairs, Dr. Ahmed Eida Bin Ali Al-Hajj, Deputy Dean for Academic Affairs, and Dr. Nada Sheikh Mole Al-Dwila; Head of the Environmental Sciences Department, as well as the staff members and their assistants.
