Fall 08

SIGNING CEREMONY & PRESS CONFERENCE to Establish a Premier Climate Change Research Institute and Global Climate Change Forum

A partnership between Qatar Foundation and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research

AGENDA: SIGNING CEREMONY & PRESS CONFERENCE Qatar to Establish a Premier Climate Change Research Institute and Global Climate Change Forum A partnership between Qatar Foundation and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research

Date: Wednesday, 5th December 2012

Time: 9:30 – 10:00 (Signing Ceremony) 10:00 – 10:25 (Press Conference)

Venue: Press Conference Room 1 – QNCC

Purpose: Announcement of Qatar’s commitment to establish a Climate Change Research Center in and an annual Global Climate Change Forum through a joint-partnership between Qatar Foundation and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. The event will be divided into two distinct rounds: an initial Signing Ceremony in the presence of H.H. Sheikha Moza bint Nasser; and a Press Conference with three panelists.

Signing 1. Professor Hans Joachim Schellnhuber Ceremony Founding Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) Presence: Chair of the German Advisory Council on Global Change 2. Ms. Christiana Figueres UNFCCC Executive Secretary 3. His Excellency Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Attiyah COP18/CMP8 President 4. His Excellency Ban ki-Moon United Nations Secretary-General 5. Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Chairperson – Qatar Foundation

Press 1. President Faisal bin Mohammed Al-Suwaidi Conference: President of Research and Development – Qatar Foundation 2. Professor Hans Joachim Schellnhuber Founding Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) Chair of the German Advisory Council on Global Change

OVERVIEW: POTSDAM INSTITUTE FOR CLIMATE IMPACT RESEARCH (PIK)

Executive Summary The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) was founded in 1992 and currently has a staff of about 300 people. The historic buildings of the institute and its high-performance computer are located on Potsdam’s Teìegraphenberg campus. The institute is a member of the Leibniz Association and receives core funding of about 10 million euros from the German federal government and the Federal State of Brandenburg. A similar amount of additional project funding is raised from external sources in competition with other institutions, a large part coming from grant programmes of the European Union.

At PIK, researchers in the natural and social sciences from all over the world work closely together to study global change and its impacts on ecological, economic and social systems. Researchers examine the earth system's capacity for withstanding human interventions and devise strategies and options for a sustainable development of humankind and . Interdisciplinary and solution- oriented approaches are a distinctive characteristic of the institute.

Research at PIK is organized in four Research Domains: Earth System Analysis, Climate Impacts and Vulnerabilities, Sustainable Solutions and Transdisciplinary Concepts & Methods.

PIK generates fundamental knowledge for sustainable development primarily through data analysis and computer simulations of the dynamic processes in the earth system, but also of social processes. PIK members publish their research findings in international publications and advise policymakers in Germany and abroad. In addition to the Federal Government of Germany, the European Commission and a number of other governments, international organizations like

the World Bank also benefit from the institute's expertise. Through institutions like the Climate-KIC (Knowledge and Innovation Community) of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), whose German branch was founded with PIK support, the institute is in continuous exchange with the business community.

Understanding climate change and its impacts is a huge task that no institution or country can tackle alone. PIK is part of a global network of scientific and academic institutions working on questions of global environmental change. PIK plays an active role in activities such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), also known as the Worlds climate council, Whose working group on the mitigation of climate change is coordinated by PIK researchers. PIK initiated and has co-hosted the biennial Nobel Laureate Symposium on questions of global sustainability since 2007.

Mission PIK addresses crucial scientific questions in the fields of global change, climate impacts and sustainable development.

Researchers from the natural and social sciences work together to generate interdisciplinary insights and to provide society with sound information for decision making. The main methodologies are systems and scenarios analysis, modeling, computer simulation, and data integration.

Organization PIK was founded in 1992 and is a non-profit organization. The constitutional organs are the General Meeting, the Board of Trustees, the Management Board and the Scientific Advisory Board. PIK currently has around 340 employees.

PIK is a member of the Leibniz Association and is funded to a roughly equal extent by the Federal Republic of Germany and the Federaì State of Brandenburg. in 2011, the institute received around 10.8 million euros in institutional funding and 225,000 euros from the German Federal Government's economic stimulus packages and the European Regional Development Fund. Additional project funding from external sources amounted to around 10.2 million euros.

Research at PIK is organized in four interdisciplinary Research Domains:  Earth System Analysis  Climate Impacts & Vulnerabilities  Sustainable Solutions  Trans-disciplinary Concepts & Methods

OVERVIEW: QATAR FOUNDATION

Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development is supporting the nation on its journey from carbon economy to knowledge economy by unlocking human potential. This will not just benefit Qatar. It will benefit the world.

Qatar National Vision 2030 details how the nation will deploy its vast revenues from hydrocarbon resources to create a knowledge economy. Because creativity, intellect and critical thinking are key, it places the development of human capital as the priority for the next 20 years.

National Vision 2030 gave Qatar Foundation a new and exciting mandate: to be an ‘engine’ helping to drive the development of human capital. We call this mandate ‘unlocking human potential’.

Qatar Foundation, a private, not-for-profit organisation, was established in 1995 by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani. His wife, Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, is the organisation’s Chairperson and driving force.

Qatar Foundation is unlocking human potential, building a platform for innovation and fostering a culture of quality and excellence.

QUICK FACTS: Education

 Currently, there are over 4,600 students studying at Qatar Foundation.  Over 1,200 students have graduated from the campus.  Around 90 nationalities are represented in the student body.  There are nine universities within Qatar Foundation, and seven other schools, programmes and learning institutes.  The latest additions include HEC in Qatar and University College London in Qatar, which joined Qatar Foundation in 2010. University College London in Qatar offers postgraduate qualifications in museum studies, conservation, and archaeology of the Arab and Islamic World in partnership with Qatar Museums Authority. HEC Paris in Qatar offers Premier Executive Education programs and research activity to Doha. Qatar's first international EMBA was launched by HEC Paris in Qatar in February 2011.  Qatar’s first home-grown doctors graduated in 2008 from Weill Cornell Medical College.  In 2012, 373 university students graduated from Qatar Foundation.

Science and Research

 Qatar Science and Technology Park, a member of Qatar Foundation, is a research and development hub. Tenants include Virgin Health Bank, Cisco, Total, Rolls-Royce, Williams Formula 1 and Microsoft.  Construction is nearing completion on the 412 bed Sidra Medical and Research Center. Qatar Foundation has committed $7.9 billion, the largest cash endowment to a medical centre worldwide, to Sidra. It is expected that Sidra will employ more than 4,500 physicians, technologists, biomedical researchers and support staff.  Over the past five cycles, Qatar National Research Fund has funded 567 original and competitively selected research projects with a total approximate value of $500 million. Around 30 Qatari research institutions have collaborated on these projects with 323 international institutions from 48 countries worldwide.

Community Development

 Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra (QPO) comprises 101 musicians from 30 nations. Each QPO concert features both Western and Arabic-influenced music.  Reach Out To Asia has committed millions of dollars to support various educational development projects in Asia.  Al Shaqab, the region’s leading equine educational resource centre, covers 800,000 square metres and has stabling capacity for more than 400 horses.  Children’s Channel produces around 40 percent of its own programmes, the highest proportion of any children's channel. Taalam.TV - the first Arabic Video On Demand (VOD) educational portal for schools and educators - is currently watched by more than 100,000 students in 178 schools across 28 countries.  The Arab and Islamic Heritage Collections at the new Qatar National Library will contain over 100,000 titles. This prized collection consists of books, periodicals, manuscripts, maps and scientific instruments, many dating back to the 15th century, and is expected to open to the public in 2014.  Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art opened in 2010 and houses more than 6,000 paintings, sculptures and works on paper, dating from the 1840s to the present day.

Joint Ventures

 Qatar National Convention Centre, which opened in 2011, is one of the largest convention centres in the Middle East, offering 40,000 square metres of exhibition space and the capacity to host up to 10,000 delegates at any one time. The curved steel sidra tree incorporated into its entrance is 250 metres long.  The polysilicon production plant being built in Ras Laffan Industrial City by Qatar Solar Technologies (QSTec) will initially produce 4,000 metric tons of polysilicon per year, which will be used to manufacture the solar modules and panels that produce the world’s solar energy. QSTec was launched in 2010 as a joint venture between Qatar Foundation, SolarWorld AG and the Qatar Development Bank.

PROJECT NOTE:

THE GLOBAL FORUM ON CLIMATE CHANGE

Qatar Foundation and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) partner to create a Global Forum on Climate Change. Background While the global community remains committed to the shared objective of tackling climate change through global policy agreements, access to and active discussion of practical steps to curb emissions of greenhouse gases and embark on a more sustainable economic model fall short of what is needed for meaningful progress. This is especially true for developing nations and those living in the tropics, sub- tropics and dry land regions of the world.

The official adoption of the 2°C temperature rise target in Copenhagen session and its confirmation at subsequent climate conferences is a diplomatic milestone. Achieving this aim requires global greenhouse gas emissions to peak before the year 2020 and to decline thereafter. The global community has affirmed that this should be achieved while simultaneously increasing access to energy resources and advancing sustainable development. These are among the significant challenges the world is facing. A Global Forum on Climate Change To meet this challenge and advance the development and transfer of knowledge and technology, Qatar has committed to partnering with the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) to establish a global forum for an alliance of countries committed to addressing these issues, collaborating on research, and pushing forward the development and transfer of knowledge and technology. This forum will be dedicated to pragmatic application and implementation of scientific and shared ‘best practice’ knowledge to develop and implement innovative policy solutions.

The forum will solicit scientific contributions in the areas of climate research including impact analysis, energy system modeling, and transformation research.

In addition to government representatives and scientists, the forum will also assemble NGOs, other like-minded coalitions, and experts from across all sectors.

The forum will serve as a place for sharing both best practices and case studies of failed measures in regional transformation strategies from both from a technological and a societal standpoint. In addition to comparing roadmaps and learning from each other, the forum will serve to continually identify remaining knowledge gaps that can be met through joint research and development activities.

Timeline Qatar will develop and implement the initial meetings and inaugural round of the forum during its year of service to COP18/CMP8.

PROJECT NOTE:

CLIMATE RESEARCH INSTITUTE IN QATAR

Qatar Foundation and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) partner to create a Climate Research institute in Qatar. Background Through its transformational National Vision 2030, Qatar has committed to creating a Knowledge Economy based on the pillars of economic growth, social development, and environmental protection. This bold plan for building the nation reflects the deep commitment to environmental sustainability enshrined in the Permanent Constitution of the State of Qatar and mandates that the nation take on “a proactive and significant international role in assessing the impact of climate change and mitigating its negative impacts.”

Living out this commitment requires the development of domestic research capacities to fill remaining knowledge gaps and to better understand drivers and possible consequences of climate change, with a particular focus on the subtropics and arid regions of the world. Beyond the science of climate itself, implementation of multi-level policies and programs for mitigation and adaptation requires thorough exploration of social and political sciences and ongoing review of on-the- ground case studies from around the world.

As a nation uniquely situated within the harsh demands of a coastal dry land ecosystem, the geo-political divides of hemispheres and cultures, and the pressures of a rapidly developing economy and nation, Qatar has a unique opportunity to deliver significant leadership in mapping out a better blueprint for the future. A Climate Change Research Institute Based on the twin focus of assessing climate change impacts and mitigating its negative effects, a new research center to be established in Qatar will operate at the intersection of natural and social sciences, build on the work of leading institutions, and fill in gaps currently existing in the field on the issue. Important research topics related to climate science and impact studies include:

 Extreme events  Water systems

 Ecosystems  Food production  Public health  Settlements and sustainable urban development

In these areas, a specific focus on the Gulf region and a wider assessment of dry lands and the subtropics will fill critical gaps in the global research community, where climate change-related knowledge about these geographies is still fragmentary.

Under the mandate to further empower knowledge and technology transfer, the Institute will also deliver research in the social science areas of:

 Climate policy studies  Implementation and transformation

Methodology and Implementation The highly successful research model pioneered at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) brings together researchers from the natural and social sciences in an interdisciplinary setting to produce cutting-edge science and new insights. Qatar Foundation intends to partner with PIK to build from this model and apply similar research methodologies including systems and scenarios analysis, modeling, computer simulation, and data integration.

The Research Institute will also develop outreach activities for education and policy dialogue in order to advance public awareness and contribute to a better understanding of climate change processes, risks, and mitigation options. Through this dual focus on research and implementation, the Institute will be crucial in gathering more widespread support when it comes to establishing effective public policies and embarking on a transformation towards sustainable growth and development with a special focus on those issues facing the nearly 2 billion people who live in dry land regions throughout the world. Establishing the Institute The State of Qatar and PIK began exploring the details of a partnership to develop the Institute in July of 2012. The Institute will be established within Qatar Foundation (QF) where it will join an outstanding line-up of research institutions and initiatives. In the days and weeks ahead, PIK and Qatar Foundation will announce a Founding Committee to develop a detailed plan and scope for the

Institute, identify faculty, and determine the operational requirements including facilities and budgets.

To bring the partnership to life and build initial capacity in the short-term, Qatar Foundation and PIK are currently exploring twinning programs on research and temporary integration of research staff from Qatar at PIK.

BIOGRAHPIES

Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Chairperson – Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development

Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, wife of His Highness the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, plays a key role in supporting the far-reaching agenda to transform Qatar into a thriving, knowledge-based society. For more than 15 years, Sheikha Moza has been a driving force behind education and social reforms in her country.

Domestically, she serves as Chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), a private non-profit organisation founded in 1995. Its flagship project is Education City, which covers over 14 million square metres and houses branch campuses of renowned international universities and institutions. QF also is engaged in numerous scientific research and economic and social development projects.

On a regional and international level, Sheikha Moza has launched multiple projects including the International Fund for Higher Education in Iraq, the Silatech initiative to address the growing challenge of youth employment in the Middle East and North Africa, and Education Above All, a policy research and advocacy organization concerned with a single policy area: protecting the right to education in conflict- affected areas.

Sheikha Moza has been playing an active role with the United Nations for many years. In 2003, she was appointed as UNESCO’s Special Envoy for Basic and Higher Education; in 2008 she was appointed by the Secretary General of the UN as Alliance of Civilizations (AOC) Ambassador; and in 2010 she became a member of the UN Millennium Development Goals Advocacy Group with a special emphasis on Goal 2 – universal primary education.

His Excellency Ban ki-Moon United Nations Secretary-General

Ban Ki-moon is the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations. His priorities have been to mobilize world leaders around a set of new global challenges, from

climate change and economic upheaval to pandemics and increasing pressures involving food, energy and water. He has sought to be a bridge-builder, to give voice to the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people, and to strengthen the Organization itself.

"I grew up in war", the Secretary-General has said, "and saw the United Nations help my country to recover and rebuild. That experience was a big part of what led me to pursue a career in public service. As Secretary-General, I am determined to see this Organization deliver tangible, meaningful results that advance peace, development and human rights."

Mr. Ban took office on 1 January 2007. On 21 June 2011, he was unanimously re- elected by the General Assembly and will continue to serve until 31 December 2016.

His Excellency Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Attiyah COP18/CMP8 President H.E. Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Attiyah serves as the President of the Qatar Administrative Control and Transparency Authority. Al Attiyah has more than 30 years of experience in the energy industry and has served in a variety of senior leadership positions within the government of Qatar. In 1992, Al Attiyah was appointed Minister of Energy & Industry and Chairman and Managing Director of Qatar Petroleum, before being entrusted with the additional responsibility of Second Deputy Prime Minister in 2003. Four years later, he was elevated to Deputy Prime Minister, and in 2011 was appointed Chief of the Amiri Diwan. Al Attiyah has also served as Chairman of Qatar’s Planning Commission, and was elected as Chairman of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development in 2006. Currently, Al Attiyah serves as chairman of the board of a number of organizations, including Gulf Helicopters Company, Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation, Qatar Radio Amateur Association, and Woqod Company. Al Attiyah was also conferred the Necklace of Independence award by HH Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, for his salutary contribution in towards Qatar’s commitment to transparency in business and governance and for his efforts towards the progress of the national economy.

Ms. Christiana Figueres UNFCCC Executive Secretary

Christiana Figueres was appointed as the new Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) by UN Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon on 17 May 2010. The appointment was endorsed by the Bureau of the Convention.

Ms. Figueres has been involved in climate change negotiations since 1995. She was a member of the Costa Rican negotiating team and represented and the on the Executive Board of the Clean Development Mechanism in 2007, before being elected Vice President of the Bureau of the Conference of the Parties 2008-2009.

In 1995 she founded the Center for Sustainable Development of the Americas (CSDA), a non-profit think tank for climate change policy and capacity-building which she directed until 2003. From 1994-1996, she served as Director of the Technical Secretariat, Renewable Energy in the Americas (REIA).

Ms. Figueres has served on several boards of non-governmental organizations involved in climate change issues, including the Voluntary Carbon Standard. She is also a widely published author on the design of climate solutions, and has been a frequent advisor to the private sector on how to play a leadership role in mitigation.

His Excellency Fahad bin Mohammed Al-Attiya Member of the Higher Organizing Committee for COP18/CMP8 Chairman of the Organizing Sub-Committee for COP18/CMP8 Executive Chairman of the Qatar National Food Security Programme (QNFSP) Mr Fahad Bin Mohammed Al-Attiya was appointed as Executive Chairman of the Qatar National Food Security Program (QNFSP) by His Highness the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani in 2008. Following his education in Qatar, Mr Al-Attiya joined the Qatar Armed Forces as an officer cadet at which time he was accepted to the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, in the UK. After completing his studies at Sandhurst he served with the elite Grenadier Guards in the UK and later with the Special Forces in Qatar. In 2007 Mr Al-Attiya joined the office of the Heir Apparent at the Amiri Diwan as Legal Counsel, a position he still holds. He is also on the Legislation Council of Qatar.

In November 2008 the Heir Apparent directed Mr Al-Attiya to chair and lead the Qatar National Food Security Programme, a cooperative effort virtually unprecedented in Qatar's history. Under Mr Al-Attiya's leadership, the QNFSP is developing a comprehensive Master Plan that combines renewable energy, responsible water management, sustainable agriculture and global collaboration to deliver a new model for food and water security in dry land regions.

His Excellency Faisal bin Mohammed Al-Suwaidi President of Research and Development – Qatar Foundation

Mr. Al-Suwaidi is responsible for all QF's activities relating to scientific research and development, including projects that fall under Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP), Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF), and the Qatar Research Institutes, which form an umbrella organization for Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI) and Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI).

Additionally, Mr. Al-Suwaidi oversees the development of executive plans for future research strategies at QF, thus ensuring the growth of scientific research in Qatar.

Mr Al-Suwaidi's illustrious career began almost four decades ago when he began working for Qatar Petroleum (QP), rising to become QP's Administration Director. In 1992 he was appointed as Managing Director of Qatar Fertiliser Company (QAFCO), and in 1997 he became the Vice Chairman and CEO of Qatargas.

Professor Hans Joachim Schellnhuber Founding Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) Chair of the German Advisory Council on Global Change

Hans Joachim Schellnhuber founded the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) in 1991 and has been its director ever since. He holds a chair in theoretical physics at Potsdam University and is an external professor at the Santa Fe Institute (USA).

In 2001-2005 he also served as research director of the Tyndall Centre in the UK and became a visiting professor at Oxford University thereafter. Schellnhuber is currently chair of the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU), governing board chair of the Climate-KIC of the European Institute of

Innovation and Technology (EIT) and chair of the standing committee on climate, energy and environment of the German National Academy (Leopoldina). He is an elected member of the Leopoldina, the US National Academy of Sciences (NAS), the Max Planck Society and several other academies.

Schellnhuber is a long-standing member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. He served as chief government advisor on climate and related issues during the German G8/EU twin presidency in 2007 and as a principal advisor to the European Commission President Barroso for several years.

For more information please contact:

Tariq Abdulaziz Al-Sada Head of Press Office Qatar Foundation Tel: +974 44540991 Email: [email protected]

Alex Armentano International Media Lead COP18/CMP8 Mob: +974 6684 6427 Tel: +974 4426 1935 Email:[email protected]