Climate Advocacy
Youth and Climate
Speaking at the Climate Action Network (CAN) International Press Conference at the UNFCCC COP18 in Doha (2012)
Reem developed a strong interest in climate change issues since her university days especially after undertaking a module on climate change as part of her marine and freshwater biology degree. Ironically, that same year the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations were under the world’s spotlight fired up by the birth of the Hopenhagen movement. During that time, her course director had allocated a piece of coursework, which required reporting on the outcomes of the Copenhagen negotiations – and since then she got hooked. That year for the first time, she joined tens of thousands of youth and climate activists in one of London’s biggest climate rallies “The Wave“ where the public called for a strong climate deal to come out of the Copenhagen talks. Needless to say the results were disappointing and the calls for climate justice still continue today.
During the UNFCCC COP18, Reem served as the AYCM Co-Coordinator, coordinating over 150 Arab Youth for the first time in the history of the COP (2012)
Her interest in and passion for pursuing climate justice was further sparked after witnessing the impacts of climate change on various ecosystems during her field work in various countries such as South Africa, Indonesia, Madagascar and Bahrain. Fast forward to 2012, she was selected from over 500+ applications from the MENA region to become a co-founder of the Arab Youth Climate Movement (AYCM) – regionally and nationally. Today AYCM serves as the first movement and platform of its kind in the MENA region dedicated to Arab youth and climate activists to use to work with Arab governments to take action on climate change, spread climate change awareness within national chapters, serve as a capacity building network and knowledge transfer tool amongst the 17 member countries in addition to others. Reem has served the AYCM movement from 2012 – 2015, beginning 2016 she made the decision to leave the movement which she has built its foundation’s for and has handed it over to the next generation to add their touch to it.
Women, Gender & Climate
In 2012, Reem embarked on her journey in working on issues relevant to gender and climate justice in Doha at COP18, ironically in her own region. She has been a member of the women and gender constituency at the UNFCCC negotiations since then and participated in their activities at COP18, COP19 and COP21. Moreover, she has been actively engaged within the women and gender youth working group during COPs. She continued her engagement and followed the gender and climate negotiation process at the Advancing the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda Conference in Bonn (April, 2013). Furthermore, in Warsaw (COP19), she also attended the first in-session workshop focused on gender balance and gender equality in the UNFCCC, which came based on the mandate of the COP18 Gender Decision. In 2015, Reem was selected by the Women’s Environment and Development Organisation (WEDO) to become a Climate Advocate, which enabled her to continue her work which aims at ensuring that gender equality is central to the new climate agreement. Her selection came as part of “The Women Climate Justice Advocates Program” which is a program that supports the participation of women advocates across eight regions, particularly from frontline communities to consult with women’s groups regionally and bring forth their work to influence the UNFCCC climate change negotiations. Lastly, in the same year, Reem attended the climate symposium hosted at the Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Centre titled “Re-imagining climate justice” where she co-facilitated the women and climate session of the symposium.
On a national level, Reem has collaborated with the Royal University for Women and the Bahrain Women Association to conduct talks and seminars on climate justice, the role of women and more.
Opening the First Young Feminist Day at the UNFCCC COP21 in Paris along with inspiring young sisters from around the world (2015)
Giving a talk at the Royal University for Women in Bahrain on Climate Change Impacts on Bahrain Island (2014)
Biodiversity Advocacy
By profession, Reem has been involved in biodiversity conservation on the field since 2007. In addition she has been actively involved in the international negotiations on biodiversity through the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which falls under the UN umbrella. In 2014, she was selected to be part of the official delegation to the Twelfth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP12) organised by the Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN) that serves as the official youth constituency under the CBD. Following this, Reem was invited to join the GYBN Board as an advisor. In 2016, Reem joined the official GYBN Steering Committee and currently serves as the official MENA region’s representative.
On a national level, Reem has given numerous talks, seminars and conducted workshops on biodiversity conservation some of which include at the Bahrain Society for Engineers, Pechakucha Bahrain, Bahrain Fort, Polytechnic University and more.
Giving the opening intervention on behalf of GYBN at the CBD COP12 in Pyeong Chang, South Korea (2014)
Following a short fun talk on biodiversity in Bahrain along side inspiring speakers at
Pecha Kucha Bahrain (2014)