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SDG 15

LIFE ON LAND

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SDG15: Life on Land

SDG 15: Life on Land, emphasizes the importance of protecting, restoring, and promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, forests, and biodiversity. In Bahrain, the government recognizes the significance of safeguarding its land-based resources and natural habitats to ensure a balanced and healthy environment for current and future generations.

Bahrain has made efforts to address SDG 15 by implementing policies and initiatives aimed at preserving its terrestrial ecosystems, preventing land degradation, and conserving its rich biodiversity. The government’s commitment is reflected in the establishment of protected areas, reforestation projects, and campaigns to raise awareness about the importance of land conservation.

In this context, Applied Sciences University (ASU) in Bahrain plays a role in aligning with the objectives of SDG 15 by incorporating environmental sustainability into its operations and promoting responsible land use within the university community.

ASU’s campus serves as a platform for advocating sustainable land practices. The university takes measures to minimize its ecological footprint by implementing landscaping designs that use native and drought-resistant plants. Moreover, ASU educates its students and staff about the significance of preserving local ecosystems and the role each individual can play in achieving SDG 15.

ASU also contributes to the protection of life on land through research and academic programs. Faculty and students engage in studies related to biodiversity conservation, ecological restoration, and sustainable land management. By conducting research projects focused on local flora and fauna, ASU contributes valuable insights to inform conservation strategies and land use planning in Bahrain.

In collaboration with government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and environmental stakeholders, ASU participates in initiatives that contribute to SDG 15. This can involve tree planting campaigns, habitat restoration projects, and community workshops on sustainable land practices.

Additionally, ASU’s curriculum may include courses dedicated to environmental sciences, conservation biology, and sustainable development. By educating future professionals with a deep understanding of the importance of life on land, ASU contributes to building a knowledgeable workforce capable of addressing the challenges associated with land degradation and ecosystem preservation.

In conclusion, both the Bahraini government and ASU recognize the urgency of safeguarding terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity in line with SDG 15. While the government sets policies and programs to protect life on land at a national level, ASU complements these efforts by fostering environmental awareness, conducting research, and instilling sustainable practices within its educational community. Through a collective commitment to land conservation, Bahrain can ensure the sustainability of its natural resources for generations to come.

SDG 15 in Bahrain

https://sdgs.gov.bh/Goal/?ID=pM3ah5cnrNyHN2C61FNj6Q

Bahrain government took several initiatives with regards to SDG 15, some are:

Protected Areas and Conservation Efforts

Bahrain’s commitment to land conservation and sustainable development is evident through its participation in the global 30×30 initiative, pledging to protect 30 percent of its land and ocean by 2030. The establishment of protected areas has been a key strategy in achieving this goal, such as the declaration of Wadi Al-Buhair as a natural reserve in July 2022.

Legal Framework and International Cooperation

Bahrain enacted Law No. (5) of 2021 on Regulating and Controlling International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Animal and Plant Groups, aligning with global conservation efforts under the Convention on International Trade of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and ensuring sustainable trade practices. Bahrain submits Annual CITES Reports covering the status of legal and sustainable international wildlife trade of endangered species. Afforestation Efforts

Launched under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Consort of His Majesty the King and President of the Supreme Council for Women, the “Forever Green” national campaign for tree planting aims to expand green areas, support environmental conservation, and uphold the agricultural sector’s development. As part of its net zero plans, the Kingdom committed to doubling the number of trees from 1.8 million to nearly 3.6 million trees by the year 2035 through the expansion of afforestation projects in various streets and intersections, and municipal and government projects. In 2022, the annual tree planting target was surpassed, with 150,000 trees planted.

Supporting Land Ecosystems Through Action

The University has implemented a practice to ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, specifically the green areas of the university. The University maintains a large green area spanning 1100 sqm, which is utilized for irrigation and planting various types of trees and plants throughout the year. This commitment to maintaining and nurturing the green area demonstrates the University’s dedication to the sustainable use, conservation, and restoration of land. Some of the university events for supporting land ecosystems through action are:

Community Engagement Office at ASU Organised a Campaign to Clean the Coast of East Al Eker

https://www.asu.edu.bh/community-engagement/community-engagement-booklet/

On Saturday, 26 January 2019, Community Engagement Office at Applied Science University in collaboration with Al Eker Charitable Society, and with the participation of One Heart Media Team; organised a voluntary campaign to clean the coast of East Al Eker. The campaign aims to preserve the environment and public coasts of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and raise the level of awareness and responsibility of the members of the University and the community. The campaign included cleaning of the coast from plastic, paper, glass and other impurities to preserve wildlife in Al Eker, which includes the mangroves and migratory birds. The campaign volunteers included Academic and Administrative Staff, Students and Graduates of the ASU, volunteers from the village of Al Eker, and participants from the local community.

Community Engagement Office at ASU Organised the Second Campaign to Clean the Coast of East Al Eker

https://www.asu.edu.bh/community-engagement/community-engagement-booklet/

Under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Hisham bin Abdulrahman Al Khalifa, the Governor of Capital Governorate, Community Engagement Office at Applied Science University in collaboration with Capital Governorate, Al Eker Charitable Society,( وثيقة محافظة العاصمة للتطوع ); organised the second voluntary campaign to clean the coast of East Al Eker. Dr Mohammad Yousef, Vice President for Administration, Finance and Community Engagement and Acting Vice President for Academic Affairs and Development, Mr Hassan Al Madani the Deputy Capital Governor, and Dr Abdulwahid Al-Nakal, the Board Member of Capital Municipal Council had attended and participated in the campaign that was held on Saturday, 23 February 2019. Participants of the campaign included ASU Staff and Students and alumni, and members and volunteers from Al Eker Charitable Society, ( وثيقة محافظة العاصمة للتطوع ), One Heart Media Team, Positive Wings Voluntary Team, and some volunteers from the local community. Twenty mangrove trees have been planted during the campaign to preserve the environment and public coasts of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and raise the level of awareness and responsibility of ASU members and the community.

Applied Science University Painted a House at Al Eker Village

https://www.asu.edu.bh/community-engagement/community-engagement-booklet/

As part of the initiatives of Community Engagement Office at Applied Science University and in conjunction with the month of holy Ramadan; CE Office in cooperation with the Volunteers Club in the University and coordination with the Al Eker Charitable Society implemented a campaign to paint a house in the village of Al Eker on Tuesday, 28 May 2019. A number of ASU Staff and Students worked together with their colleagues from Al Eker Charitable Society in painting the house. Presenters of Al Eker Charitable Society thanked ASU for the continuous support to the community and Al Eker Village.

A Campaign to Paint the Facade of Two Houses in the Village of Al Eker

The ASU Community Engagement Office, in collaboration with Al Eker Charitable Society, delivered a campaign to paint the facade of two houses in the village of Al-Aker on 21st May, 2022, with the participation of Dr Mohammad Al-Hamami, Manager of Community Engagement Office and Associate Professor in Department of Management Information Systems, a number of Academic Staff, Mr Mohammed Alnajjar, Office Manager of Student Services, the Volunteers Club, ASU Graduates, and Students of the College of Engineering.

A Campaign to Prepare and Rehabilitate Bathrooms for the Elderly (Senior Citisens) in Two Houses

https://www.asu.edu.bh/community-engagement/community-engagement-booklet/

The ASU Community Engagement Office, in cooperation with Al Eker Charitable Society, delivered a campaign to prepare and rehabilitate bathrooms for the elderly (senior citisens) in two houses in the village of Al Eker on 25th May, 2022, with the participation of a number of the ASU Academic Staff.

A Campaign to Paint the Facade of Two Houses in the Village of Al Eker

https://www.asu.edu.bh/community-engagement/community-engagement-booklet/

As part of the Applied Science University’s initiatives for community engagement and service, The ASU Community Engagement Office, in collaboration with Al Eker Charitable Society, organsied a campaign to paint the facade of two houses in the village of Al-Aker on 10th June, 2023, with the participation of Dr a number of Academic Staff, Students, Graduates, and the Local Community.

A Campaign to Provide and Install Solar-Powered Lamps

https://www.asu.edu.bh/community-engagement/community-engagement-booklet/

As part of the Applied Science University’s initiatives for community engagement and service, The ASU Community Engagement Office, in cooperation with Al Eker Charitable Society, organised a campaign to provide and install (13) solar-powered lamps to light different locations in the village of Al-Aker on Thursday, June 15, 2023, with the participation of a number of academic and administrative staff, university students, and the local community.

A Campaign to Prepare and Rehabilitate Bathrooms for the Elderly (Senior Citizens) in Two Houses

https://www.asu.edu.bh/community-engagement/community-engagement-booklet/

As part of the Applied Science University’s initiatives for community engagement and service, The ASU Community Engagement Office, in cooperation with Al Eker Charitable Society, delivered a campaign to prepare and rehabilitate bathrooms for the elderly (senior citizens) in two houses in the village of Al Eker on 17th June 2023, with the participation of a number of the ASU Academic Staff.

Land Sensitive Waste Disposal

https://www.asu.edu.bh/

The University has taken proactive measures to address Land Sensitive Waste Disposal. Firstly, the University has implemented a grey water system on its campus, which has a daily capacity of 16 cubic meters. This system enables the responsible management and disposal of grey water, contributing to the sustainable use of land resources.  Additionally, the University has established a contract with a specialized company to handle the disposal of biohazard materials generated by the health clinic on campus. To ensure proper disposal, the University has designated specific biohazard standards dustbins within the health clinic. The waste collected in these designated bins follows all the required standards for the safe disposal of biohazard waste. By adhering to these standards and working with a specialized company, the University maintains a responsible approach to managing and disposing of biohazard waste, safeguarding the land and environment.

The Graduation Project course of Civil Engineering program consists of students’ ‎projects related to:‎

Ecosystem improvement and preservation.‎

The students learn and apply how to improve the quality and preserve the resources for human health ‎and welfare, as well as ‎the marine life:

From students’ projects:

  1. Assessment of urban flood risk potential and design ‎of storm water system ‎
  2. Flood inundation modelling of natural channels ‎for different probabilities of occurrence ‎
  3. Design of water supply system for an urban area ‎
  4. Design of sewage water network for an urban ‎ ‎
  5. Design of rainwater harvesting system.
  6. Grey water treatment system in the household ‎and design of storm water system. ‎

In Addition to the following research activities:

  • Sustainability and Environmental Design papers:
  • Hdeib, R., Aouad, M. 2023. Rainwater harvesting systems: An urban flood risk mitigation measure in arid areas, Water Science and Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wse.2023.04.004
  • Hdeib R., Abdallah C., Colin F., Brocca L., Moussa R., 2018. Constraining coupled hydrological-hydraulic flood model by past storm events and post-event measurements in data-sparse regions. Journal of Hydrology, October 2018, Volume 565, pages:160-176. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2018.08.008
  • Hdeib R., Moussa R., Colin F., Abdallah C., 2020. A new cost-performance grid to compare different flood modelling approaches. Hydrological Sciences Journal, Feb. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2021.1873346
  • Abdelhameed, Wael, and Housein, Esam. Reducing Energy Demand Between Actual ‎and Digital: A study case of BIM analysis of ‎a ‎housing unit. In IDoBE International Conference. Keyworth Centre, London South Bank University, UK, 22-24 November 2021. https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=view_citation&hl=en&user=VYhpN2cAAAAJ&pagesize=80&citation_for_view=VYhpN2cAAAAJ:hMod-77fHWUC
  • Al Kuheji, Mohammed, and Abdelhameed, Wael, Acoustic Simulation in School Architectural Design, 8th International Conference on Modelling Simulation and Applied Optimization, ICMSAO 2019, Bahrain, IEEE, IET, 14-17 April 2019. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8880455
  • Abdelhameed, Wael, Industrial Revolution Effect on the Architectural Design, International Conference on the 4th Industrial Revolution‎, Bahrain, IEEE, 19-21 February 2019. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8894774
  • Abdelhameed, Wael. Is BIM Too Detailed for Conceptual Designing? A Case Study. In Proceedings of the Future Technologies Conference, pp. 686-701. Springer, Cham, 2021. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-89912-7_53

2-Sustainability and Environmental factors on Urban and Neighbourhood levels

  • Abdelhameed, Wael. Socioeconomic Concept in Neighbourhood Planning: A case study. In International Conference in Emerging Technologies for Sustainability and Intelligent Systems, ICETSIS Conference, Applied Science University ASU, Bahrain. IEEE, June 22-23, 2022. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9888882
  • Abdelhameed, Wael A. VR in Heritage Documentation: Using Microsimulation Modelling. In Intelligent Computing, pp. 1115-1123. Springer, Cham, 2021.‎ doi: ‎1007/978-3-030-80126-7_78‎ https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-80126-7_78

ASU Virtual World Conference “Forests for Public Health”

https://www.asu.edu.bh/

ASU held the Virtual World Conference “Forests for Public Health” in which Middle Eastern and European countries were invited. The conference had the aim of this conference is to bring together well-known scientists from different countries and disciplines to present research and state-of-the-art knowledge and theories on:

  • The significance of the role of forests and green spaces in improving the health and wellbeing of a population.
  • Challenges the urban and landscape planning fields face in designing green infrastructure that benefits physical activities both in urban space and in forest/nature.

Human health and wellbeing are vital socio-political and public health issues for today and for the future. They vitally define our lives. Forests, urban forests, and green spaces can have a significant influence on the health and wellbeing of many people. We might look at them as a kind of health insurance.

ASU Virtual International Conference on Forests for Biodiversity and Climate

ASU held on August 6, 2021 a Virtual International Conference on Forests for Biodiversity and Climate in the conference participated students and staff at ASU, invited countries from the United Kingdom, Europe and Asia, the purpose of the conference was to discuss aspects such as [3]:

  • What are the problems that forests face and how are these likely to evolve? What are the needs for adaptation action? [3].
  • Forests are one of the solutions to fighting climate change [3].
  • What are the best prevention methods? The role of the European Expert Group on Forest Fires and its current activities [3].

Figure 3. ASU Virtual International Conference on Forests for Biodiversity and Climate, taken from, taken from  [3].

The International Conference on Conservation Agriculture and Sustainable Land Use

https://www.asu.edu.bh/

 

ASU participated in the International Conference on Conservation Agriculture and Sustainable Land Use The purpose of the conference was to promote the conservation and sustainable use of land, including forests and wild lands, agricultural techniques were taught and their dissemination is a crucial challenge for specialists in sustainable land use. Promote this effort by inviting scientists to discuss the results and possibilities for further development [4]

Earth Day Tree Planting

https://www.asu.edu.bh/category/news/page/14

On April  22 , 2019 to contribute to the earth, ASU organized an event in which students, staff and local community, planted a tree in order to support biodiversity on Earth Day and leave a clear message that ASU as well as the entire community is against deforestation,

ASU Campaign Stop Deforestation

https://www.asu.edu.bh/category/news/page/11

On March 10, ASU carried out a campaign against excessive deforestation and invited its community to raise awareness of the environment and the survival that it represents for life. the event had the participation of the general public and the academic community

ASU Green Metric Ranking

https://www.asu.edu.bh/2019/01/greenmetric-world-university-ranking/

ASU won the 1st Place at the level of private universities locally, the 25th place at the Arab level, and 692 globally in the Green Metric World University Ranking for the year 2018. The report shows the university advanced ranking among the 719 international universities covered by the survey that represents 81 countries around the world.

This achievement comes within the framework of the ASU vision to move towards further development and progress to serve the university strategy, which focuses on creating an academically qualified student in accordance with the standards of quality assurance of education and in line with the strategy of the Higher Education Council of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Prof. Ghassan Aouad, the university president, explained that this achievement represents a major input for the university to move forward towards development and modernization to enhance its reputation and scientific progress in various fields. The president also stressed the importance of the universities in spreading the culture of excellence and consolidating the concept of sustainability and green architecture as one of the modern trends in construction.

The President of the University also congratulated the Chairman of the Board of Directors Samir Nass, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees Professor Waheeb Al-Khaja, and all members of the Board of Directors and Trustees for this achievement.

Prof. Aouad noted that the university has collected 2150 points within the six classification criteria that includes: location and infrastructure, energy and climate change, waste, water, transport and education. He stressed the University’s keenness to achieve sustainable development in all its economic, social and environmental aspects.

The Green Metric results

http://greenmetric.ui.ac.id/detailranking2019/?univ=asu.edu.bh

ASU Strategy in Sustainability

https://www.asu.edu.bh/sustainability/?pdf=38776

ASU strategy in sustainability  will support a community that contributes towards a socially responsible and sustainability through many initiatives. Our objective is to be net-positive and to contribute more to society reduce our environmental impact.

The University has made significant progress in driving forward the environmental agenda over the years, ASU strategy sets out on:

  1. Student Experience
  2. Education for Sustainability through conferences and events
  3. Research for Sustainability
  4. Partnership and Engagement
  5. Operations for Sustainability
  6. Governance and Quality Assurance

The University took great care to align its Research Strategy with national priorities identified in the National Research Strategy 2014-2024 and the Bahrain Economic Vision 2030. In particular, the ASU research strategy supports the economic development of Bahrain, the deployment of future IT strategies and issues around sustainability. An important addition to the University’s support for research has been the establishment of inter-disciplinary research themes. Following wide consultation amongst staff and external stakeholders, the following research themes have been identified: Sustainable Development; Future IT; Teaching and Learning; Coexistence, Tolerance and Peace; Women Leadership; Economic Growth. Two research themes already have active groups which are undertaking relevant research and publishing articles. The research groups are designed to bring together academics in emerging or established areas of expertise who work collectively to produce high quality research in the identified field. Early-career researchers and masters’ students may be invited to be part of these groups to encourage continuity and to support emerging researchers. Full details of the criteria for establishing Research Groups, the mechanisms by which they are formed and the manner in which they are funded are provided in the Research Handbook.

A theme focusing on sustainable development is a priority over the next twelve months because of the establishment of the College of Engineering. As a result, research groups will be established to address important topics related to renewable energies, future of sustainable engineering among some others. The first significant activity within this area was the organizing of the International Conference on Sustainable Futures which was held in November 2017 by ASU in association with London South Bank University and CIOB, the Conference contributed significantly to the reputation of the University by bringing together a group of international researchers who presented research being conducted inside and outside the University in an area which is deemed to be of national importance.