Sustainability Forum Middle East, DANAT and WJI 2030 convene experts for high-level regional talks
Sustainability Forum Middle East (SFME), a regional platform dedicated to driving net zero and nature positive solutions, in collaboration with DANAT (Bahrain Institute for Pearls & Gemstones), and the Watch & Jewellery Initiative 2030 (WJI 2030) yesterday hosted a high-level roundtable in Manama on 'Oceans at the Frontline: Harnessing Marine Ecosystems for Climate Action'. The event, taking place at Al Baraka Islamic Bank, marked the first roundtable in SFME's 2025 Decarbonisation Roundtable Series and brought together regional and international experts to explore the role of marine ecosystems in climate resilience, including blue carbon solutions, sustainable pearling, and corporate marine conservation efforts.
The roundtable opened with a fireside chat between Iris Van der Veken, Executive Director & Secretary General of the Watch & Jewellery Initiative 2030 (WJI 2030), and Noora Jamsheer, CEO of DANAT.
The discussion shed light on the global jewellery sector's sustainability ambitions and the importance of responsible business practices in today's evolving regulatory and stakeholder landscape.
Iris Van der Veken further emphasized the role of collective action and how it has the potential to accelerate the global sustainability agenda, contributing to ocean conservation. The Watch & Jewellery Initiative 2030, co-founded by Kering and Cartier, delegated by Richemont, unites luxury watch and jewellery brands under a shared commitment to climate resilience, preserving resources and fostering inclusiveness.
The roundtable continued with two expert-led panels.
The first, focusing on sustainable pearling, featured Eng. Layla Ali Sabeel, Director of Climate Change and Sustainable Development at Supreme Council for Environment, Dr. Sabah Al-Jenaid, Academic Supervisor of the Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani Chair for GIS at Arabian Gulf University, and Mohamed Al Slaise, Field Researcher at DANAT, and was moderated by Dr. Manaf Alkhuzaei, Postdoctoral Researcher at Arabian Gulf University.
The panel examined how scientific research, including recent assessments of Bahrain's pearl oyster beds by DANAT and the Supreme Council for Environment, can support sustainable pearling practices and reinforce the ecological and economic value of this heritage industry.
The second panel addressed the role of industry in marine conservation and sustainable coastal development.
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