In the framework of joint academic and scientific cooperation, Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) participated in organizing an international scientific conference on climate change and health in the Arab region, titled: "The 2nd Conference on Climate Change and Health in the Arab Region: Policy Translation and Implementation (CCHAR-II 2026)". The conference was organized in cooperation with the University of Jordan and around 11 local, regional, and international institutions, under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan, President of the Royal Scientific Society. In her keynote address, HRH Princess Sumaya emphasized the importance of enhancing collective action to address climate change and mitigate its impacts.
The conference was held at Le Royal Hotel in Amman and included specialized scientific workshops. His Excellency Prof. Dr. Fayez Abdulla, Director of the Queen Rania Abdulla Center for Environmental Science and Technology at JUST and Director of the GEOHealth Hub project for Climate Change and Health in MENA, chaired the conference's Scientific Committee.
The event witnessed a distinguished attendance of elite academics and researchers from various regional and global universities. This included around 11 researchers from the University of Balamand and the American University in Lebanon, approximately 7 researchers from Mohammed VI University of Health Sciences, and about 23 researchers from Jordan University of Science and Technology participating in the scientific workshops held on the sidelines of the conference. Nearly 75 research abstracts from 11 countries were submitted, presented, and discussed by experts and academics from prestigious universities and institutions, such as the Royal Scientific Society, University of California San Diego (USA), Harvard University (USA), University of Balamand (Lebanon), Mohammed VI University of Health Sciences (Morocco), Texas A&M University (USA), Yarmouk University, Latakia University (Syria), University of Anbar (Iraq), GIZ, as well as researchers from the City University of New York, Doha University for Science and Technology (Qatar), and other local and global institutions and centers.
The conference emphasized the necessity of addressing urgent global climate challenges, with a special focus on the Arab region, which is considered one of the most vulnerable regions to the health impacts of climate change. The event was supported by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) through two main centers funded by it: the GeoHealth Hub for Climate Change and Health in the Middle East and North Africa, and the Global Center for Water-Energy-Food-Health-Climate Nexus (GC3WEFH).
The conference sessions covered a wide range of interconnected topics, including the integration of the Water-Energy-Food-Health Nexus approach, which connects the management of vital basic resources—such as water, food, and clean energy—with public and human health dimensions like air pollution, extreme weather events, and the mental health of vulnerable groups. These topics also integrated modern implementation tools, such as innovation, data analytics, and artificial intelligence, with ethical dimensions and health equity. Ultimately, this culminated in a comprehensive vision blending technical sciences with public policy to create practical, equitable, and sustainable solutions for the Arab region.
Several members of the GeoHealth Hub MENA research project team, along with faculty members and students from various faculties at JUST, actively participated by presenting scientific papers and posters, as well as attending and contributing to specialized workshops held alongside the conference. This reflected the university's commitment to promoting joint research and building academic capacity in the fields of climate adaptation and public health. The conference concluded after a series of panel discussions and interactive workshops that provided vital opportunities for exchanging scientific and professional expertise, further strengthening international cooperation efforts to tackle climate change challenges and their impacts on community health locally, regionally, and internationally.
