The activities of the 4th MENA environmental law scholars' conference titled "Law on Biodiversity, Nature Conservation in the Middle East and North African (MENA) Region" kicked off Monday at the University of Jordan under the patronage of its President, Prof. Nathir Obeidat.

The two-day conference is organized by UJ's School of Law and the Association of Environmental Law Lecturers in the Middle East and North African Universities (ASSELLMU).

The overall goal of the conference is to bring together environmental educators, university teachers, trainers, and practitioners to exchange knowledge, and experience and learn from each other how to strengthen biodiversity law practice, education, and implementation in the region.

With more than 54 speakers from universities in 45 countries, the conference provides a platform for sharing and exchanging information on the necessary resources, skills, approaches, and methodologies needed to equip students and future environmental administrators in the region with law and governance skills to advance the SDGs relating to biodiversity.

The conference is funded by the United Nations, Rule of Law Programme Middle East & North Africa, KonradAdenauer-Stiftung, SADER Publishing, Al-Khatibeh Center for Arbitration, Law and Legal Training, and Hamad Bin Khalifa University's (HBKU) UNESCO Chair on Environmental Law and Sustainable Development.