PHOTO
The growing environment and climate change challenges have begun to affect people in the Middle East region in their day-to-day lives, analysts said at the World Economic Forum in Dubai on Sunday.
Mirek Dusek, deputy head of geopolitical and regional agendas, World Economic Forum, said the recent incidents of water shortage in Iraq's Basra is one of the examples that this region is being increasingly exposed to environment and climate change.
"We're seeing the environment affecting daily lives in the region such as in Basra. Its impact was felt even in elections. We looked at the Mediterranean ecosystem and how it affects Egypt," Dusek said during the opening press conference of the third Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils, bringing together nearly 700 experts from around the world.
Be it the UAE, Egypt, Morocco or any other country in the region, Dusek said the Fourth Industrial Revolution is a reality for every country and every society in the region.
He said it is imperative to be on the front foot to make sure that there is a positive society and it plays a positive role.
Stephan Mergenthaler, head of knowledge networks at the World Economic Forum, said the concept of the Fourth Industrial Revolution was discussed in Dubai at this meeting 3 years ago. This inspired a global conversation and led to the creation of a worldwide network of Centres for the Fourth Industrial Revolution aimed at designing the protocols and values necessary to ensure new technology serves humanity rather than threatens it.
"Our goal for this year is just as ambitious: we want to find radical new ideas for shaping a new global architecture to future proof the economy, the planet and our societies," he said.
Copyright © 2018 Khaleej Times. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
