The Secretary General of the Kuwait Environment Protection Society, Jenan Behzad, received a Certificate of Excellence from the Kuwait Conference and Award for Sustainable Production and Consumption (Responsible Consumption for a Sustainable Life), which was held virtually under the patronage of the Governor of Ahmadi, Sheikh Fawaz Al-Khaled Al-Sabah. The conference featured Sheikha Suhaila Salem Al-Sabah, International Ambassador for Social Responsibility, as a guest of honor, and Dr. Shehab Ahmed Al-Othman, Head of the Kuwait Program for Social Responsibility and Chairman of the Higher Organizing Committee. Twenty-one expert speakers and specialists in the conference's theme also participated, along with eight academic and advisory members of the Kuwait Program for Social Responsibility, which is part of the Regional Network for Social Responsibility. Behzad presented the Society's experiences with waste management projects, its water project with the Arab Fund, and its feasibility studies on recycling, optimal waste disposal, and the use of environmentally friendly products.
During her lecture, the Secretary-General of the Environment Society outlined the fundamental pillars for developing environmentally responsible behavior in individuals for sustainable production and consumption. She summarized these pillars as environmental education, environmental awareness, the application of environmental laws, and the promotion of environmental citizenship. She emphasized that "education is the cornerstone in building a citizen who is responsible towards their country and environment. This highlights the urgent need to prioritize environmental education at all educational levels to cultivate individuals who are better aware of their environment." She added, "Awareness can be defined as a sense of responsibility towards the environment and nature, and engaging in all practices that help protect and preserve them. It also involves raising awareness among others about the types of dangers caused by harmful human practices, their severity, and various environmental issues. Furthermore, it entails replacing harmful practices with others that benefit the land and the environment and help preserve them, while simultaneously attempting to repair the damage caused by these harmful environmental practices.".
Accompanied by a visual presentation, she said: “The Sustainable Development Goals are achieved by instilling environmental citizenship in society, which is the relationship between the citizen and the components of the environment in which he lives, by incorporating the natural environment into daily environmental behavior in a way that promotes environmental health and protection, and by strengthening the role of laws and legislation on which the citizen relies to know his rights and duties, and by giving priority to environmental issues within sustainable development plans.”.
Regarding waste, Janan Behzad explained: “Based on the volume, composition, and management of waste generated, estimates indicate that 1.6 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to carbon dioxide (CO2) resulted from solid waste treatment and disposal in 2016, according to World Bank reports. This represents 5 percent of global emissions.” She pointed out that solid waste-related emissions are expected to increase to 2.38 billion tons of CO2 equivalent annually by 2050 if improvements are not made in this sector. She added, ”The world suffers from a lot of waste resulting from the large consumption of plastic products. This waste is harmful on various levels and can harm marine life and ecosystems in different ways. Some organisms become entangled or suffocated by plastic nets or fishing gear remnants, or by ingesting plastic bags. Some organisms are transported by plastic to areas where they do not live and become invasive species that are not suited to the new environments they are transported to. Other causes include poisoning and the entry of plastic into the food chain.“.
