QNA DohaThe issue of climate change is a national priority for Qatar, Minister of Environment and Climate Change HE Sheikh Dr Faleh bin Nasser bin Ahmed bin Ali Al Thani has said, highlighting the 2021 ambitious measures in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030, to preserve the environment and green growth and alleviate the climate change impacts.“These measures included adopting a national strategy for the environment and climate change and preparing a clear national action plan for climate change in Qatar over the coming 10 years to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in all sectors by 25 percent by 2030,” the minister said in his speech at the inauguration of a conference organised by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) in partnership with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) under the theme ‘Climate Leadership in Qatar and the Road to the 27th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 27)’.He said the National Action Plan for Climate Change identified more than 35 initiatives to cut off these emissions as part of the effective measures put in place to achieve the environmental goals, adding that the measures include clear and specific implementation plans as well as approaches to reach the highest levels of investment in low-carbon technologies such as the use of solar energy and carbon sequestration.The conference comes as part of Qatar’s preparations to participate in the November 7 to 18 COP 27 to be hosted by Egypt, the minister said.He hailed the opening of a GGGI office in Qatar as a testament to the country’s interest in the issues of green growth, sustainability and climate change as part of the urgent issues in the present as well as the importance of commitment to efforts toward sustainable development and preserving the environment.“Qatar called for the inauguration of a GGGI bureau in Doha in 2019 to determine the scope of cooperation activities that boost climate resilience and green growth in Qatar,” he said, highlighting a three-year long cooperation programme (2022-24) between the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and the GGGI to support the climate resilience and the green growth policies, which includes five projects with a focus on ecology and climate change in a number of sectors, including reserves and the quality of water and air.As part of its efforts to mitigate the climate change impacts, the minister added, Qatar enhanced its abidance by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through announcing the National Strategy for Environment, the Qatar National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP) and the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), plans that go in accordance with the implementation of Qatar National Vision 2030.He added that the GGGI bureau serves all government agencies concerned about climate change, noting that Qatar was one of the founders of the GGGI in 2012 and a member of its board from 2020 to 2022. Sheikh Dr Faleh expressed hopes that cooperation with NGOs concerned about climate change and the environment and all segments of society would continue to reach further coordination in development plans and policies and put required preparations for preserving, developing and guaranteeing the best use of natural resources needed for the achievement of the developmental strategy for climate change.He stressed Qatar’s various projects related to climate change in sectors like clean and renewable energy and solar power plants, highlighting that the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will be eco-friendly with 40 percent of materials used in the tournament’s facilities having been recycled.In his remark, GGGI Director-General Dr Frank Rijsberman hailed the existing partnership between the institute and Qatar, represented by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, including the inauguration of the institute’s office in Doha and Qatar’s dedicated efforts to the office, commending the efforts and initiatives carried by out Qatar to reduce climate change. He added that the national strategies and plans carried out by Qatar, including ambitious and innovative projects in overcoming climate change, reducing gas and methane emissions, countering their harmful impacts and the transition to alternative and renewable energy are highly commendable and something to be proud of in a time the world is moving toward green growth. He pointed out that the institute operates to build global capabilities for carbon trading and make this a platform for carbon transactions to achieve mutual benefit, expressing his aspiration for a new session of the UN Climate Change Conference 2022 in the Arab Republic of Egypt (COP27) to build and design an ambitious work to ensure a prosperous future for the next generations.Dr Rijsberman gave a presentation about the cooperation programme between the institute and MOECC. Special Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Climate Change and Sustainability HE Ambassador Bader Omar Al Dafa said Qatar is one of the countries that are fully committed to implementing all international treaties and agreements and projects that call for reducing the earth’s temperature and carbon emissions, among other obligations. He stressed that Qataris have had a close connection with the land since ancient times and with preserving the environment of their homeland, wishing that future generations follow the same path.“All countries must cooperate to take unified positions and measures that would mitigate the harmful effects of climate change and look to the future of the next generations,” he said.Director of the Meteorological Department at the General Authority of Civil Aviation Abdulla Mohammed Al Mannai spoke about the areas of interest to the authority and its efforts to adapt to climate change and mitigate it.He pointed to the importance of developing an objective mechanism for adaptation processes and the possibility of mitigating the negative effects of climate change through effective cooperation and participation between the various competent national institutions. He noted that the Meteorological Department has a large and detailed network of meteorological and marine monitoring of meteorological and climatic elements covering all regions of the country.
