Climate change

Environment Minister stresses that climate change is a national priority for Qatar

HE the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Sheikh Dr. Faleh bin Nasser bin Ahmed bin Ali al-Thani, stressed on Sunday that the issue of climate change is a national priority for Qatar, highlighting the ambitious measures for 2021 in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030 to preserve the environment and green growth and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
These measures included the adoption of a national environment and climate change strategy and the preparation of a clear national action plan for climate change in Qatar over the next 10 years to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. emissions in all sectors by 25% by 2030, the minister said in a speech. delivered during the inauguration of a conference organized by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change in partnership with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) under the theme “Climate Leadership in the State of Qatar and the Road to the 27th session of the Conference of the Parties” (COP 27)”.
The Minister explained that the National Action Plan for Climate Change has identified more than 35 initiatives to reduce these emissions as part of the effective measures put in place to achieve environmental objectives.
The measures include clear and specific implementation plans and approaches to achieve the highest levels of investment in low carbon technologies such as solar energy use and carbon sequestration. The conference is part of Qatar’s preparations to attend COP 27 from November 7 to 18 which will be hosted by Egypt, he told reporters.
Her Excellency hailed the opening of a GGGI office in Qatar as a testament to the country’s interest in green growth, sustainability and climate change issues as part of the pressing issues of the present, as well as the importance of the commitment to deploy more efforts for sustainable development and preservation of the environment.
Qatar has called for the inauguration of a GGGI office in Doha in 2019 to determine the extent of cooperation that can boost climate resilience and green growth in Qatar, the minister said, highlighting a three-year cooperation program years (2022-24) between the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and the GGGI to support climate resilience and green growth policies.
The program includes five projects focusing on ecology and climate change in a number of sectors, including reserves and water and air quality.
As part of its efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change, His Excellency added that Qatar has strengthened its compliance with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Paris Agreement and the Development Goals. Development (SDGs) by announcing the National Environment Strategy, the Qatar National Action Plan on Climate Change (NCCAP) and the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), plans in line with the implementation of the Qatar National Vision 2030.
He added that the GGGI office serves all government agencies concerned with climate change, noting that the State of Qatar was one of the founders of the GGGI in 2012 and a member of its board from 2020 to 2022.
His Excellency expressed the hope that cooperation with NGOs concerned with climate change and the environment and all segments of society would continue to achieve greater coordination in development plans and policies and put the necessary preparations for preserve, develop and guarantee the best use of the natural resources necessary for the realization of the development strategy in the face of climate change.
His Excellency highlighted the various projects of the State of Qatar related to climate change in sectors such as clean and renewable energy and solar power plants, stressing that the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will be respectful of the environment. environment, with 40% of the materials used in the tournament facilities having been recycled.
Commenting on the State of Qatar’s national strategy for environment and climate change, His Excellency said that it includes around 90 initiatives, 35 of which will be implemented soon.
In his address to the conference, GGGI Managing Director Dr.
Frank Rijsberman commended the existing partnership between the institute and the State of Qatar, represented by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, including the inauguration of the institute’s office in Doha and the dedicated efforts of Qatar to the office, commending the multiple great efforts and initiatives undertaken by the State of Qatar to reduce climate change, including its flexibility to convert challenges into new opportunities and solidify its corporate infrastructure for the future and the region in integrating the vision of sustainability into its mega projects, including the plans for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
He added that the national and practical strategies and plans implemented by the State of Qatar, including ambitious and innovative projects to overcome climate change, reduce gas and methane emissions, counter their harmful effects and transition towards alternative and renewable energy are highly commendable and something to be proud of at a time when the world is moving towards green growth, underscoring the institute’s willingness to support and promote the policies and efforts of Qatar and to further explore their development opportunities, including smart agriculture to ensure regional and international security, especially that the has become a reliable partner for governments.
He stressed that the institute works to build global carbon trading capacity and make it a platform for carbon transactions to achieve mutual benefits, expressing his aspiration for a new session of the United Nations Conference. Conference on Climate Change 2022 in the Arab Republic of Egypt (COP27) build and design an ambitious work to ensure a prosperous future for future generations.
dr.
Frank Rijsberman made a presentation on the cooperation program between the institute and the MOECC, reviewing the areas in which both parties seek to focus, national action strategies and Qatari initiatives in this regard, including their willingness to develop green economy strategies, diversity, ecosystems, sustainability, national capacity building, adaptation plans and others to reduce the impact caused by carbon emissions and collaboration with stakeholders, noting the importance of constructive cooperation with all partners of the State of Qatar in order to curb the currency climate.
HE the Special Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Climate Change and Sustainability, Ambassador Bader Omar Al Dafa, underlined during the round table of the conference that the State of Qatar is one of the countries that s ‘is 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 pointed out 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.
HE warned that no country can do anything alone on climate change.
From this point of view, all countries must cooperate to adopt unified positions and measures that would make it possible to mitigate the harmful effects of climate change and to envisage the future of future generations.
HE Ambassador Al Dafa explained that Qatar has participated in all climate change symposia and meetings over the past period to enhance cooperation and coordination on climate change conferences including the upcoming COP27 in Egypt.
Qatar is active in the field of climate change and its challenges at the United Nations level and has large and numerous commitments and new initiatives in this field, as well as its commitment through global institutions, to help the countries least advanced to deal with its damage.
This role is not surprising for Qatar, underlined SE.
During the panel discussion, the Managing Director and CEO of the Global Green Growth Institute spoke about the institute, its projects and support to countries, the funding process, climate change adaptation and climate change management. its effects, as well as a number of topics that will be raised at COP 27.
The Director of the Meteorological Department of the General Authority of Civil Aviation, Abdulla Mohammed Al Mannai, spoke about the areas of interest of the authority and its efforts to adapt to and mitigate climate change, addressing in a related context Qatar’s national strategy for environment and climate change and its important goals, areas and priorities.
He said that to objectively assess the state of the climate, all elements surrounding the environment, its nature and its dominant characteristics should be studied, stressing the importance of developing an objective mechanism for adaptation processes and the possibility of mitigate the negative effects of climate change. through effective cooperation and participation between the various competent national institutions.
He noted that the Meteorological Department has an extensive detailed meteorological and marine monitoring network of weather and climate elements covering all parts of the country.
The department also has numerical weather, marine and climate forecasting models that have been developed to fit the nature of weather and climate conditions in and around the State of Qatar, as well as the development of a climate atlas for the country, while other departments of the authority also have a team specializing in the study and assessment of the impact of the civil aviation sector on the climate and its changes.
Al Mannai said that the issue of climate change is one of the global environmental issues that concern policy makers, given its impact on various sectors of life, not only at the national level but also for its important role in the economy. international community and the future of humanity.
He stressed the importance of focusing on this issue on transparency, accuracy in reading the results of scientific studies related to climate change so that they are objective and useful to decision-makers, calling for objective and logical results in the analysis of correct scientific results because the economic aspects and social costs are high for countries and societies, which requires close cooperation at the level of the national and regional institutions concerned. (QNA)