Future Perfect

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ustainability

olicies

, P

rogrammes

and

their

conomic

mpact

development and commercialization through engagement with

international industry leaders and research institutions includ-

ing Chevron Energy Solutions, Siemens, ExxonMobil, Shell Qatar

and General Electric. This has helped Qatar to develop, promote

and attract technology production, innovation and investment

in cutting-edge research and development for more sustainable

industries.

Towards environmentally sustainable development

The Government’s ambitious environmental agenda requires

organizational changes and substantial capacity strengthening

within institutions responsible for the environment. Many parts of

Government and the private sector are involved and the Ministry of

Environment has assumed the lead.

Qatar’s strategy for environmental management calls for 11

interrelated actions that cut across all areas of environmental

management. These interventions, part of NDS 2011-2016, will

put Qatar on a path of environmentally sustainable development.

The changes call for new patterns in consumption and production,

complemented by lasting improvements in environmental govern-

ance and performance. The environmental management strategy

requires a broad shift in laws, regulation, management systems,

technologies and attitudes.

The strategy for improved environmental management involves

working towards seven outcomes with related time-bound targets.

Cleaner water and sustainable use

Among the various environmental concerns facing Qatar, the most

pressing is linked to the country’s most acute scarcity – water. With

one of the world’s lowest levels of rainfall, Qatar relies on water

from desalination, groundwater and recycled water, and all three

face stresses. Aside from these pressures, Qatar’s consumption and

network leakage rates are high. Per capita water use is one of the

world’s highest.

Qatar will enact a comprehensive National Water Act, establishing

an integrated system of quality requirements, discharge controls and

incentives for conservation in place of today’s fragmented system of

laws and regulations. The goal is a set of policies and regulations for

the Government to align consumption and supply over time while

protecting water quality.

Cleaner air

Qatar has two categories of air quality challenges. First, various local

pollutants mix with particulates in the air – including chronically

high levels of dust – which cause air quality problems that contribute

to respiratory illnesses. Second, carbon dioxide emissions, mostly

from energy production, add to greenhouse gases and contribute

to global climate change. Qatar is developing a national policy to

manage air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and the broader

challenges of climate change. All sectors of society – especially the

private sector – have a role.

Improved waste management

Affluent societies tend to produce large quantities of waste, and Qatar

is no exception. With an active construction business, an extensive

hydrocarbon sector and a growing number of high-income house-

holds, Qatar creates more than 7,000 tons of solid waste each day.

Qatar has adopted a multifaceted strategy to contain the levels

of waste generated by households, commercial sites and indus-

try and to recycle much more waste. In approaching

the challenge of improved waste management, the

Government recognizes a hierarchy of actions to alle-

viate pressures on the environment, with the most

preferable goal being the avoidance of waste. Where

waste cannot be avoided, the goals are to reduce it,

reuse it and recycle it.

Sustainably managed nature and natural heritage

In Qatar, as in many countries, biodiversity is facing

threats from a range of human activities. Population

growth and rapid urbanization have put pressure on the

delicate balance of natural endowments, crowding out

some elements in the biodiversity mix. Construction

and industrialization are impinging on fragile coastal

habitats and disrupting marine life. International ship-

ping and trade have introduced invasive species that

pose threats to indigenous species. Overfishing has

emerged as both an ecological concern and a threat to

future food supply.

To support the required analysis and eventual protec-

tion of the country’s biodiversity, the Government

will back detailed surveys that establish biodiver-

sity baselines to enable decision makers to build new

protections based on solid evidence. NDS 2011-2016

envisions a series of practical steps, beginning with the

establishment of a central database by 2016 to inform

decision-making, improve management plans and

support regional activities. The database will draw on

international best practice in design and could eventu-

ally be extended to cover all Gulf Cooperation Council

countries.

A healthier urban living environment

Doha has grown exponentially, supported by a

construction boom of striking contemporary build-

ings. Bringing a green dimension to urban planning

will strengthen sustainability and make the city more

liveable. Significant shifts in the make-up of Doha

are being implemented. The Government’s strategy

for improved environmental management calls for an

urban environment that effectively balances the natural

and built environments by incorporating more green

spaces. To make Doha a greener city, the Government

is implementing a network of green spaces as ribbons

of tree-lined areas rather than large, open parks which

support other environmental priorities. These green

areas will help to improve air quality and recycle waste

by using organic solid waste for composting and treated

sewerage water for maintenance.

An increasingly environmentally aware population

Successful environmental management will require

active engagement throughout society. Large commer-

cial corporations and policymakers have important

roles, and so does every individual. There is also

evidence that a deeper environmental awareness is

growing. For example, schools have added environmen-

tal studies to the curriculum.