منطقة الجوف-جامعة الجوف

Introduction

For decades, oil production has been the backbone of the Saudi economy, and still contributes to a sizeable share of its GDP. The Saudi government is now promoting what it calls a ‘circular carbon economy’ to reduce emissions from oil and gas operations, with Saudi Aramco committing to net zero operational emissions by 2050. This, however, only addresses a fraction of relevant emissions in Saudi Arabia and globally, as most emissions related to oil and gas come from fuel combustion rather than extraction and processing.

Many of the world’s largest economies, and largest oil consumers, have already committed to net zero emissions by around mid-century—as has Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom’s current diversification plans away from heavy economic dependency on oil revenues do not adequately address scenarios in which global oil consumption significantly declines in the coming decades, in line with what is required to meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement.

Saudi Arabia has announced it aims to plant 450 million trees by 2030—with a long-term target of 10 billion trees, and collaborative efforts to plant 50 billion trees in the Middle East. If Saudi Arabia plans to heavily rely on an increased forest sink, then emissions in other sectors, such as energy and transport, could increase significantly. The 2060 net zero target does not specify the extent to which it would rely on the forestry and land use emissions sink.

At JOUF we recognize the power of collaboration to improve and protect the quality of life for the next generations. Sustainability is in our DNA, and we’re pleased to contribute innovative technologies that will accelerate our journey towards carbon neutrality.

Moreover, JOUF is uniquely contributing to the SDG goals and taking bold actions that support the Kingdom’s ambitions for the circular carbon economy. Our climate action strategy reaffirms our commitment to the Paris Agreement goals and the continuous pursuit of solutions that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Discussed its impact on public health: Al-Jouf University holds a seminar on the contamination of agricultural products
Al-Jouf University organized a scientific symposium on the pollution of agricultural products and its impact on public health, and mechanisms to eliminate this dangerous phenomenon, where a number of specialized university professors delivered a set of scientific papers, which explain what pollution is and its extensions on human health.

The seminar began with a speech delivered by the supervisor of the Environmental Protection Unit from pollution at the university, Dr. Abdullah Al-Hajoj, in which he addressed the steps of preparing for the symposium and that it came in reaction to the recent pollution of some agricultural products, and the prevention of their circulation in the region, stressing the role of the university in serving the community and interacting with its issues and developments.

Then the Vice Chancellor of the University, Dr. Bader Al-Zaree, gave a speech on behalf of His Excellency the Rector of the University in which he stressed the importance of integration between the concerned authorities in addressing the issues affecting society, linking this to the vision of the Kingdom 2030, where it emphasizes the aspect of prevention and its role in mitigating health and economic damage, where institutions work to anticipate dangerous phenomena before they occur and cause diseases and epidemics, which may cost man his health and cost the state exorbitant budgets to address those epidemics, God forbid, and Dr. Al-Zaree stressed on The University strives to achieve the goals of leadership through its community-oriented scientific programs.

The scientific participations followed, which began with a paper entitled "Food Safety of Agricultural Products", during which the Associate Professor at the Faculty of Science, Dr. Ben Omar Sheb, explained the concept of food safety and its physical, chemical and biological risks, and what microbial contamination is, its sources and ways of transmission, Dr. Semi gave a set of tips to farmers from the audience on how to produce safe vegetables and fruits, and other tips for consumers on preventing the risks of foodborne diseases.

After that, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Medicine Dr. Ahmed Taha delivered a paper in which he introduced the different types of microbes and their general characteristics, methods of identifying cases of bacterial food poisoning, and reviewed how bacterial infection is transmitted from various foods, and the distinctive pathological picture of each bacteria.

Then the professor at the Faculty of Science, Prof. Dr. Ahmed Al-Ghorab, delivered a paper in which he highlighted the nature of the chemical risks involved in food, indicating the benefits of pesticides, and their harms, and reviewed the reasons that push for the use of more pesticides, and the possible limits for this according to the standards of international organizations.

In the fourth and final paper, Dr. Al-Fatih Al-Jaafari from the Faculty of Medicine addressed what pathogenic parasites are transmitted by pollution of the agricultural environment and its products, the forms of their transmission and the role of the human element (farms) in preventing or allowing the transmission of infection, reviewing models of parasitic diseases transmitted through agricultural environments.

The symposium recommended the importance of strengthening the concept of food integrity, ensuring that the necessary actions are taken to ensure this, linking human, animal and plant health, raising community awareness of the ways of food contamination and symptoms of foodborne diseases, educating farmers about the controlled use of pesticides, prohibiting the use of organochlorine pesticides in agricultural crops, launching legislation that ensures protection from pesticide misuse, developing programmes to track pesticide residues in food, and forming a team from the university and institutions. The concerned person moves quickly when any case of contamination occurs, to study the case and deal with it according to scientific and legal grounds.

The seminar, which was organized by the Environmental Protection Unit from Pollution at the University, affiliated to the College of Science, at the King Abdullah Cultural Center in Sakaka, witnessed a series of interventions and questions, raised by the attendees from farmers and employees of the relevant government agencies.

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Ministry of Environment and Water Branch Meets with a Team from Al Jawf University to Activate Cooperation Agreement
In order to activate the cooperation agreement signed between the branch of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in the Al-Jawf region, and Al-Jawf University, which was witnessed by His Highness the Amir of Al-Jawf Region, may Allah protect him, and His Excellency the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture a few days ago.

The Director General of the Branch of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in Al-Jawf Region held a meeting with the Vice President of Al-Jawf University for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research, Dr. Salem bin Mubarak Al-Enezi at the Camel and Pasture Research Center and the Olive Research Unit in Al-Jawf in the presence of a group of professors and researchers from the University, in a visit aimed at reviewing the facilities of the Center and identifying its technical and technical components and joint cooperation to provide technical consultations to develop the Center's laboratories and research fields, and to start activating the agreement.

The two sides stressed that the agreement will contribute, God willing, to conducting many research projects between the Ministry and the University and maximizing the use of the resources of the Center and researchers at the University to create a participatory work that serves research sciences in the fields of environment, water and agriculture in the region.

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During its first session of the current academic year: The University Council approves the establishment of a unit to protect the environment from pollution
In its first session of the current academic year 38/39 AH, the University Council approved the establishment of a unit specialized in protecting the environment from pollution, through a set of programs and works of competence, and the Council also approved the manual of ethics of the teaching profession, as well as approved the admission numbers for the General Diploma in Education program.

The session, which began with a speech during which His Excellency the Rector of the University and Chairman of the Council, Dr. Ismail bin Mohammed Al-Bishri, congratulated the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and his Crown Prince Al-Amin, may Allah protect them, on the occasion of the 87th National Day, calling on the Almighty Allah to perpetuate the blessing of security and prosperity on the country.

The session, which was attended by the Secretary of the Council of Higher Education, Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Saleh via live television broadcast, and the members of the Council from the deans of colleges and supporting deanships, was also known to discuss a number of topics, such as the termination of the mission of a group of scholarship holders, and to review the lists of graduates and their specializations, rates and general estimates for the second and summer semester of the academic year 37/38 AH, in addition to other topics included in the agenda.

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Prof. Dr. Mohammed Alshaya met with the President and members of the Sidr Al-Jawf Association, appreciating their contribution to the afforestation of the university city
The President of Al-Jawf University, Prof. Dr. Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Shaya, was briefed on the programs of the Sidr Al-Jawf Voluntary Association and its objectives in the field of afforestation in general, planting wild trees of all kinds, and protecting the environment in the region.

The Association provided 1,000 seedlings of Sidr for cultivation in the University City in line with the University's directions and its recent announcement of the afforestation initiative, and to achieve the Kingdom's Vision 2030.

This came during the reception of Dr. Al-Shaya, President of the Sidr Al-Jawf Voluntary Association, Mr. Sultan Al-Duhailis and a number of members of the Association, thanking them for their contribution to the afforestation of the University City, and expressing the readiness of the University to support every community work aimed at developing the region and contributing to its development in accordance with the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Nawaf bin Abdul Aziz, Amir of the region.

Dr. Alshaya commended the efforts exerted by the Association in spreading the culture of afforestation among all segments of society, involving citizens in planting trees and raising awareness of their environmental and health role.

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Al-Jouf University gave educational lectures in interaction with the agricultural extension caravan in the region
The Deanship of Community Service and Continuing Education at Al-Jawf University organized a number of distance educational lectures on agriculture and the environment within the framework of the agricultural, environmental and food education initiative for farmers and those interested in the region for the year 1442 AH in interaction with the agricultural extension caravan in the region organized by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture.

The first lecture entitled "Better Care for Olive Trees" was presented by Dr. Bassam Al-Oweish, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Science and Director of the Olive Research Center at the University, in which he addressed the definition of olive trees and their varieties, the level of maturity, the percentage of oil and pruning to reduce the height of the trees, in addition to the impact of the use of bedspreads on the percentage of the presence of oil produced, explaining that olive trees have a number of advantages that make them one of the most important international destinations for investment in olives because of their high quality thanks to the geographical location of the region.

The second lecture presented by Dr. Salwa Gramron, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Science and Arts in Qurayyat entitled (Recycling of Agricultural Waste and its Positive Environmental Impact) addressed a number of topics, including the definition of recycling and sustainable development, agricultural waste and its types, recycling of agricultural waste and ways to benefit from it and the impact of recycling agricultural waste on the environment.

She explained that agricultural waste is one of the most dangerous types of waste, especially in the countryside because it is disposed of by incineration, which contributes to raising the rates of environmental pollution and fires, which is dangerous to public health, in addition to being a source of inconvenience due to the unpleasant odors that result from the burning process, in addition to the waste of organic sources that can be converted into organic fertilizer, stressing the importance of safe disposal of agricultural waste through official methods where it can be used in the Production of environmentally friendly, safe and high-value products.

Dr. Gramon warned against the storage of agricultural waste on top of homes, especially in the countryside, which could cause real environmental disasters such as fires and collapses in homes.

The third lecture presented by Dr. Suhair Al-Gharbi, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Science and Arts in Qurayyat, entitled (Plastic Packaging and Food Safety), during which she addressed the types of plastics and basic materials that enter into their manufacture and the most important advantages of plastic materials represented in the low cost of their production, light weight, resistance to corrosion and rust, as well as ease of formation and insulation for heat and electricity, as well as the transparency of some types of plastic materials and the resistance of some of them to the influence of chemicals in addition to their ability to insulate moisture and surpass the packages made of paper and cloth.

Dr. Al-Gharbi also touched on the optimal use of plastic and its alternatives, offering several health tips and warnings to consumers to prevent plastic damage.

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