Doha, June 16 (QNA) - Assistant Undersecretary for Protection and Natural Reserves Affairs at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) Dr. Ibrahim Abdul Latif Al Musallamani affirmed that the State of Qatar is proceeding with the implementation of an integrated national strategy to combat desertification, restore ecosystems, and protect natural resources, through a package of projects and initiatives aimed at enhancing vegetation cover, preserving biodiversity, and achieving the objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030.

In a special statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Dr. Al Musallamani explained that on the occasion of the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, which falls on June 17 annually, the National Strategy to Combat Desertification 2025-2030, implemented by MOECC, includes rehabilitation of degraded lands, protection of meadows and natural habitats, the development of vegetation cover, the sustainable management of natural resources, and the control of invasive plant species. He noted that the strategy aims to restore and rehabilitate at least 30% of degraded natural habitats and promote the sustainability of natural resources.

Dr. Al Musallamani added that nature reserves represent a fundamental pillar in the state’s efforts to protect biodiversity and reduce land degradation. He pointed out that terrestrial reserves cover about 27% of the country’s area, with work underway to raise the percentage of protected terrestrial and marine areas to 30% by 2030.

He pointed out that the slogan of this year’s World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is 'Rangelands: Recognize. Respect. Restore.,' which reflects the growing importance of rangeland ecosystems in preserving biodiversity and enhancing resilience to climate change. Protecting lands and natural habitats is a shared responsibility that requires the integration of official and community efforts, he added.

The Assistant Undersecretary pointed out that MOECC has implemented protection and rehabilitation works in 76 natural parks and sites, with a total area of ​​16.72 square kilometers from 2019-2026, through fencing, regulating use, cultivating local plants and scattering seeds, with a plan to expand protection and rehabilitation programs to include 500 natural parks and sites by 2030.

He stressed that MOECC is benefiting from modern technologies, including geographic information systems, remote sensing, satellite image analysis and drones, in monitoring the condition of the land and vegetation cover, indicating that these efforts have contributed to the inventory and documentation of 1,573 gardens and the establishment of the first integrated national spatial database for gardens and natural sites, in addition to studying the use of AI applications to enhance the efficiency of environmental monitoring and support decision-making.

Regarding national partnerships, Dr. Al Musallamani stressed that combating desertification requires the combined efforts of various entities, noting the participation of more than 25 national entities in the relevant technical consultations, as well as the contribution of private sector institutions in supporting projects to fence, cultivate and rehabilitate the meadows within the framework of social responsibility.

He pointed out that among the most prominent environmental challenges facing the country in the field of desertification are the limited water resources, high temperatures and fluctuating rainfall rates, in addition to the deterioration of some natural habitats and the spread of invasive plant species, most notably the mesquite plant. He pointed out that groundwater represents about 19% of the country’s water resources, while withdrawal rates from the aquifer exceed natural recharge rates by more than four times, which poses a major challenge to the sustainability of land and natural resources.

Dr. Al Musallamani stressed that Qatar is dealing with these challenges through the implementation of the National Strategy to Combat Desertification 2025-2030, along with the application of a set of practical measures to protect vegetation cover and restore natural habitats, including extending the ban on camel grazing in all areas and regulating the grazing of sheep and goats during the seasons of wild plant growth, as well as implementing a national program to combat the invasive mesquite tree, which resulted in the removal of more than 8,500 invasive mesquite trees from 2023 until mid-2026, thus enhancing the protection of ecosystems and the ability of the land to recover and be sustainable.

He commended the efforts of MOECC in implementing national projects and initiatives aimed at enhancing the sustainability of natural resources and protecting biodiversity, most notably the first National Strategy to Combat Desertification, which was launched as a unified national framework to lead efforts to restore degraded lands, while its detailed action plan is being finalized in preparation for the implementation of its programs and projects.

These efforts complement the country's contribution to the initiative to plant 10 million trees by 2030, where more than four million have been planted so far, equivalent to more than 40% of the national target, Dr. Al Musallamani pointed out. During 2025, efforts included cultivating 19,580 local wild and coastal seedlings, and producing 31,275 wild and coastal seedlings in the Al Ghashamiya Nursery to support propagation and environmental rehabilitation programs, in addition to continuing to protect and rehabilitate natural habitats and meadows, as the number of protected meadows reached 76, and expanding environmental monitoring and rehabilitation programs, which contributes to achieving the objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Qatar National Environment and Climate Change Strategy.

Concluding his statement to QNA, Dr. Al Musallamani called on citizens and residents to contribute to protecting the environment and preserving vegetation and natural resources, stressing that every positive practice contributes to enhancing environmental sustainability and preserving natural resources for future generations. (QNA)