A few days after establishing Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Qatar has now launched the National Environment and Climate Change Strategy in pursuit of country’s goals towards sustainability.
Qatar has already invested a lot, in recent years, in developing sustainable technology and models to combat the climate change and environmental threat and to conserve natural resources. One of such projects is Lusail City. The eco-city of the future is the first and largest sustainable city in Qatar.
The State of Qatar represented by the ministries and institutions concerned has also launched many projects and initiative in the last many years to ensure the sustainability and address climate change, following Qatar National Vision 2030.
They include National Programme for Conservation and Energy Efficiency (Tarsheed), District Cooling System, waste recycling programme, air quality monitoring system, ‘Plant Million Tree’ initiative, electric car charging stations among many more.
The new strategy, launched by H E the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior on Thursday, will deliver three objectives of enhancing the health and vitality of environment, improving the well-being of Qatari population, and ensuring economy’s resilience.
The preparation of the Strategy began in February, with the participation of more than 20 concerned government entities from various ministries, departments, and companies and more than 50 international experts from specialists worldwide.
To achieve its objectives, the Strategy identifies five environmental priorities: Reducing greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions, restoring biodiversity abundance, establishing sustainable water management, improving waste management and building a circular economy, and enhancing land use productivity.
Qatar also targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 25 percent by 2030. It is also committed to enhancing ambient and indoor air quality in line with the latest scientific development. It will install over 30 air quality monitoring stations equipped with internationally approved technology.
Speaking at the event, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, H E Sheikh Dr. Faleh bin Nasser bin Ahmed bin Ali Al Thani said: “Qatar’s National Environment and Climate change Strategy inaugurates the beginning of a new phase of the State of Qatar’s efforts to confront the phenomenon of climate change.” At the local level, the Minister noted, many environmentally sustainable projects and initiatives are being implemented to reduce the effects of climate change.
The government of Qatar has also worked for achieving sustainability in the food production in a number of ways. Sustainability is also at the heart of preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2022, with Qatar on course to deliver the first carbon-neutral event in tournament history.
