Tribune News Network
Doha
Qatar University (QU) and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to cooperate in the field of environmental research and projects, in the presence of Minister of Environment and Climate Change HE Sheikh Dr Faleh bin Nasser Al Thani and President of QU Dr Hassan Al Derham, on the university’s campus.
The agreement was signed by Assistant Undersecretary for Protection and Natural Reserves Affairs at the MoECC Dr Ibrahim Abdullatif Al Maslamani and QU’s Vice-President for Research and Graduate Studies Prof Mariam Al Maadeed.
In his statement following the signing of the agreement, Dr Maslamani said that the ministry is working to benefit from the scientific expertise of the university, which will enable MoECC decision-makers to take appropriate evidence-based decisions.
This cooperation is one way of implementing the national strategy where it concerns environmental sustainability, he explained.
He said, “I am confident that the work that Qatar University carries out will cover the three areas of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, which includes protection of natural reserves, protecting the environment, and the field of climate change and sustainability, which includes ensuring capacity building through training.”
In her statement on the occasion, Prof Maadeed said QU looks forward to cooperation with various institutions and bodies in the country to achieve the Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals, with the aim of tackling various environmental challenges.
The two parties aim to confront challenges facing the Qatari environment and its innate and biological diversity, believing in the vital role played by scientific research in serving community issues.
The agreement also includes cooperation in the field of exchanging experiences in various fields, including statistics and data, as well as holding meetings and trainings between experts and specialists, forming working committees to develop joint plans, and holding consultative meetings.
The agreement covers areas of common interest such as biodiversity and wildlife and their environmental status; management, development and rehabilitation of natural reserves; the impact of hunting operations on the environment and fungal organisms inside and outside natural reserves; the state of the environment, air quality, soil quality, water quality, noise, chemicals and hazardous waste; social and economic impacts resulting from human activity; studies in the field of climate change and others.
