Between the 21^st and 22^nd of April 2010, Dr. Shihdeh Joudeh, Director of the Chemical, Biological and Drugs Analysis Center at the University, participated in a workshop on ISO 14067 standards on carbon footprint of products in Tunisia.

Dr. Joudeh mentioned that the workshop was about preparing the first draft on the analysis methods of the carbon footprint in agricultural and industrial products. The second draft of the ISO standard deals with the means of transferring information about carbon footprint to the importing companies.

A number of Middle East and North African countries such as Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Yemen, Iraq, Morocco, Algeria, Libya and Tunisia participated in the workshop and in the preparation of the ISO standard.

The ISO standard is of great importance, especially when exporting goods to other countries. In this case, the importing country asks for such data upon receiving the goods. Sweden, being the supervisor of the ISO standard, provides supportive projects that help in preparing this standard so as to check all the standards of each product that is being exported to any country.

The participants discussed the different means to analyze carbon footprint of the product, including all the elements and factors that contribute to the production of carbon in products. Other topics included: the basic elements of the product, the method used to make the product, the methods used to deliver the product to the importing country and the life cycle assessment.