In the presence of HRH Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and the Jordanian Minister of Environment, HE Yaseen Khayyat, The Sahara Forest Project presented for the first time the results of their feasibility studies for Jordan. The seminar arranged by The Sahara Forest Project and The Norwegian Embassy to Amman brought together a wide range of international and Jordanian delegates from academia, industry, governments and organizations. The event took place by the Dead Sea on the 24th and highlighted opportunities arising from an integrated approach to the challenges of food, water and energy security in responding to the challenge of climate change.
PRESS RELEASE 24.04.2012
High-level seminar puts the spotlight on new opportunities
In the presence of HRH Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and the Jordanian Minister of Environment, HE Yaseen Khayyat, The Sahara Forest Project presented for the first time the results of their feasibility studies for Jordan. The seminar arranged by The Sahara Forest Project and The Norwegian Embassy to Amman brought together a wide range of international and Jordanian delegates from academia, industry, governments and organizations. The event took place by the Dead Sea on the 24th and highlighted opportunities arising from an integrated approach to the challenges of food, water and energy security in responding to the challenge of climate change.
-The results from the Jordanian Feasibility studies provide a strong case for establishing The Sahara Forest Project in Jordan. However, studies are just studies if they are not used as a tool for action. We are therefore committed to make use of the Feasibility Studies for Jordan as tool for implementing the concept on the ground to create restorative growth, says Joakim Hauge, CEO of The Sahara Forest Project.
-We are very pleased that His Royal Highness and His Excellency the Jordanian Minister of Environment participated at the seminar together with the many experts and stakeholders from different sectors in the Jordanian society, as well as international representatives, continues Mr. Hauge.
More than 60 experts and scientists from Jordan and many other countries have contributed into The Sahara Forest Project Feasibility Studies.
The national study and roadmap demonstrate a great potential for the Sahara Forest Project’s unique system for creating value in Jordan through the production of food, water and energy in an integrated system removing CO2 from the atmosphere. The results also indicate that the integration of the Sahara Forest Project with the proposed schemes for pumping of seawater from The Red Sea and to The Dead Sea could make a very strong contribution to food, energy and water security in Jordan. Such integration could also substantially improve the overall economics of the Red-Dead scheme.
The proposed site for establishing a Test and Demonstration Center in Aqaba, offers excellent climatic and topographic conditions suited to the technological system of the Sahara Forest Project. Taken together with the potential for creating innovative technological solutions contributing to securing Jordan’s energy, water and food resources, this makes a strong case for moving ahead to the establishment of a Sahara Forest Project Test and Demonstration Center.
-The Sahara Forest Project is founded on the belief that we need a more integrated approach when tackling the intertwined challenges of food, water and energy security. While carrying out the Feasibility studies in Jordan, we have experienced first-hand that this is a view also shared by many Jordanians, states Joakim Hauge, CEO of The Sahara Forest Project.
CONTACT INFORMATION
For general requests/information:
The Sahara Forest Project
E-mail: info@saharaforestproject.com
Phone: +47 96 01 09 68
For comments:
Joakim Hauge, CEO of The Sahara Forest Project
E-mail: joakim@saharaforestproject.com
Phone: +47 40 85 61 90
Additional material is electronically available:
Information folder (PDF) – https://www.saharaforestproject.com/fileadmin/uploads/SFP_jordan.pdf
Illustration of proposed Test and Demonstration Center in Jordan (JPG) – https://www.saharaforestproject.com/fileadmin/uploads/SFP_testcenter_jordan.jpg
Picture of CEO Joakim Hauge of The Sahara Forest Project (JPG) – https://www.saharaforestproject.com/fileadmin/uploads/sfp_joakim_hauge.jpg
Background
In June 2010 The Sahara Forest Project was first presented to His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan. After several positive meetings with relevant ministers it became clear that there is a strong support for the project in Jordan. In January 2011 The Sahara Forest Project signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority. The Jordanian Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Norwegian Minister for Foreign Affairs were present at the event as a sign of the Jordanian and Norwegian support to the agreement. The Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) expressed that they would facilitate a 20 ha land area for The Sahara Forest Test- and Demonstration Centre, as well as 200 ha for possible later expansion. The Sahara Forest Project committed to carry out comprehensive feasibility studies for Jordan with the support and financial backing from Norwegian authorities.
In February 2012 it was announced that The Sahara Forest Project AS had entered into cooperation with Yara ASA and the Qatari company Qafco. The parties have committed to build the first fully operational Sahara Forest Project Pilot Plant in Qatar by December 2012.
By combining different existing technologies into one integrated system The Sahara Forest Project uses what we have enough of to produce what we need more of. This is made possible by utilizing sunlight, deserts and seawater to produce food, water and energy. The Sahara Forest Project has been well received by among others Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland, former Prime Minister and UN Special Envoy on Climate Change, and Olav Kjørven, Assistant Secretary-General of UNDP. The EU’s Commissioner for Development, Mr Andris Piebalgs has stated that “The Sahara Forest Project appears to be a very interesting example of the more integrated and holistic kind of thinking that we will need a lot more of in the future to make our energy, water and industrial systems more sustainable.” The Sahara Forest Project has been presented in a number of leading publications including Science, National Geographic, TIME Magazine, The Economist and Financial Times.
The Sahara Forest Project AS is a Norwegian private limited liability company. The purpose of the SFP AS is to create profitable innovation and development of environmental solutions within the food, water and energy sector. This is achieved by bringing The Sahara Forest Project technology to the market in relevant countries. The Sahara Forest Project AS is operating under the Ethical Guidelines for commercial initiatives set out by The Sahara Forest Foundation. The main shareholders are Michael Pawlyn, Bill Watts and Bellona Holding.
The Sahara Forest Project Foundation facilitates and promotes research, knowledge and the use of technologies which enable revegetation and the creation of new jobs through the profitable production of food, water, biomass and electricity. The SFP Foundation has established a set of Ethical Guidelines applicable to all commercial Sahara Forest Project Initiatives.
