Leading environmental thinkers call for stronger youth engagement, cleaner energy, and international collaboration at the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair
Sharjah, November 12, 2025
At the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), three leading environmental voices underscored that climate change is no longer a distant concern but a direct and growing threat to the world’s food and water security. The session, “Writing the Climate”, moderated by Mohammed Al Attar, brought together geography professor Dr. Fawaz Ahmed Al Mousa, climate researcher Dr Ayoub Abu Deya, and science journalist and author Gaia Vince, who shared perspectives on the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of global warming.
Opening the discussion, Vince, whose Adventures in the Anthropocene won the Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books, making her the first woman to win Britain’s top science book award outright, said she remains optimistic about humanity’s capacity to adapt to environmental change. “Throughout history, humans have always found ways to adapt to crises,” she said. “What we face today is a greater challenge, especially since the impoverished are often the most affected.”
She explained that renewable energy offers one of the most promising routes to mitigation, noting that the cost of solar and wind power has dropped dramatically, enabling electricity generation at prices far below those of traditional fossil fuels. Vince, whose 2022 book Nomad Century explores the mass migrations expected in coming decades due to global heating, also stressed the role of environmental education. “Protecting the Earth isn’t just an adult’s responsibility,” she continued. “Children who read about the planet develop a sense of stewardship from an early age.” She revealed that she uses environmental books at home with her own children to foster that awareness.
She described climate change as a global chain reaction that transcends borders, wealth, and privilege. “We depend on so many people and regions for everything we eat and wear, and that community is much bigger than our immediate circles,” she said. “When the ocean gets too hot and drives winds that destroy a whole community, it’s a reminder that it isn’t going to stop at the border. It’s a planetary challenge.” Vince emphasised that technological adaptation and migration will define the coming century.
Dr. Fawaz Ahmed Al Mousa offered a historical perspective, explaining that the Earth has undergone repeated climatic transformations, including several ice ages, and that the current warm period began roughly 11,000 years ago. “Human activity, from the discovery of fire to the industrial revolution, has altered climate patterns in unprecedented ways,” he said. “We are now seeing the results in the form of atmospheric instability, flash floods, and increasingly frequent heatwaves.” He stressed that while early environmental efforts were often individual, addressing today’s challenges requires institutional frameworks and collective, science-based policymaking.
Dr. Ayoub Abu Deya added that climate change now intersects with nearly every field of human life, from economics and health to culture and politics. “The environment is the mother of all sciences. It touches every aspect of our existence,” he said. “Human impact on nature is the greatest cause of the current crisis.” He cautioned that future conflicts may well be fought over water and other essential resources, calling for urgent and coordinated international action. “Addressing climate change demands immediate and responsible efforts by all nations, supported by public awareness and a change in daily consumption habits,” he said.
The discussion concluded with a shared appeal for sustained global cooperation, stronger youth engagement, and a decisive shift toward renewable energy to ensure a safer, more equitable future for the planet and its people.
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