Doha, July 22 (QNA) - The State of Qatar places great importance on environmental policies and adopts sustainable mechanisms to protect natural resources, improve land management, and enhance community resilience to the challenges of desertification and drought. This is achieved through regulating the use of land, expanding afforestation efforts, utilizing native plants that help improve soil fertility and reduce erosion, and applying sustainable agricultural techniques that boost water resource efficiency and increase productivity.

According to United Nations (UN) projections, drought will impact over three-quarters of the world's population by 2050, further expanding desertification. In response, Qatar is making significant efforts to address these challenges and halt land degradation by promoting agricultural reclamation projects, with a forward-looking vision to transform deserts into green landscapes, enhance biodiversity, utilize treated water for irrigation, improve air quality, expand green spaces, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

In line with the State of Qatar's commitment to international pledges under the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement on reducing carbon emissions, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC) previously launched the 'One Million Trees' initiative through which the State of Qatar seeks to plant 10 million trees by 2030 in view of the special importance of trees to the ecosystem and their impact on human health and quality of life, and to enhance its initiatives to combat desertification, the effects of climate change, and environmental sustainability efforts.

The action plan stipulates that the initiative is open to all members of society, government institutions and agencies, the private sector, companies, schools and educational institutions, youth centers and sports clubs, and all citizens and residents, with registration being open to all individuals, whether financial or in-kind support, or practical participation.

The initiative focused on planting and nurturing saplings of Qatar's native florae including Prosopis cineraria (Ghaf), Ziziphus nummularia (Sidr), Acacia tortilis (Samr), across carefully selected sites. These include main roads, Doha Ring Road, Al Majd Road, Al Shamal Road, Al Khor Coastal Road, industrial cities, locations of wastewater treatment and storage units, rainwater collection sites, city and municipal entrances, as well as public parks, schools, and residential complexes.

Qatar's hosting of the FIFA World Cup 2022 marked a major milestone in its environmental efforts, with sustainability playing a key role in the country's comprehensive planning. One of the standout achievements was the significant expansion of public parks to increase green spaces and reclaim desert land. By 2022, the number of public parks had reached 148, up from only 56 in 2010, reflecting a remarkable growth rate of 164%. Green spaces across the country also expanded to over 43 million square meters, according to the latest 2022 statistics.

One of the most significant efforts that received international acclaim in this regard was Qatar's hosting of Expo 2023 Doha over six months. It is the first A1-rated international horticultural exhibition to be held in the Middle East and North Africa regions. Under the theme "Green Desert, Better Environment," the six-month event aimed to adopt innovative and sustainable solutions and combat desertification through four main pillars: modern agriculture, technology and innovation, environmental awareness, and sustainability.

It was remarkable that the global event was held for the first time in a region with a desert climate. This provided an important opportunity, particularly for hot desert countries, particularly in the Middle East, to address the challenges they face in the areas of desertification and sustainability. This was achieved by proposing solutions to promote a prosperous green life in the desert and establishing an environment of cooperation and partnership within the framework of this global event.

Al Bidda Park, spanning 1.7 million square meters, hosted approximately 79 countries, non-governmental organizations, and representatives of other entities. More than three million participants attended the event across extensive programs over 179 days, reflecting Qatar's unwavering commitment to sustainability and integrating advanced virtual reality technology to create a rich and sophisticated experience.

The international Expo highlighted numerous issues and challenges that must be addressed, most notably desertification and the preservation of fertile soil; food security through the promotion of sustainable agriculture and the development of modern methods of food production; the importance of biodiversity and plant conservation; environmental sustainability and climate change; and the promotion of innovations and technology in the fields of horticulture and sustainable agriculture.  

The State of Qatar continues its environmental efforts in regional and international forums, presenting its vision for land rehabilitation and desertification control at the sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Saudi Arabia in December 2024.

HE Undersecretary of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Abdulaziz bin Ahmad bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud said that desertification has become a direct threat to natural resources, food security, and the sustainability of life on Earth, and called on governments and international organizations to unify their efforts in developing innovative and sustainable solutions based on ecological balance.

His Excellency said that the State of Qatar has been keen on implementing the UNCCD by adopting a national strategic plan to address desertification challenges and promote environmental sustainability, in addition to launching the Third National Development Strategy (2024–2030), representing the final phase of the Qatar National Vision 2030, with the strategy including integrated programs and initiatives to combat desertification and protect natural resources.

Qatar is currently working on updating its National Strategy and Action Plan to Combat Desertification, which incorporates comprehensive policies based on global best practices, His Excellency said, noting that Qatar has adopted the Rio Conventions as a reference framework for its national efforts, with the aim of protecting ecosystems, enhancing sustainable land management, developing a green economy, and preserving natural resources for future generations.

As a result of these effective measures, the per capita share of green space in the country increased to 16 square meters in 2022, up from less than 1 square meters in 2010 - a 16-fold increase.

The State of Qatar is also investing heavily in land reclamation in order to achieve self-sufficiency in various agricultural products and address challenges, most notably altering the nature of desert soil and enriching it with minerals such as iron, copper, manganese, and magnesium, along with fertilizers, and dealing with the harsh climatic fluctuations of the Gulf region.

Steps toward sustainability and combating desertification directly contribute to achieving food security, a key goal for the State of Qatar for which it has allocated all necessary mechanisms and resources, something that presents an important opportunity for professionals in the field to enhance their work and make use of advanced technological innovations.

Furthermore, the 12th edition of the Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition (AgriteQ 2025), which took place at the Cultural Village Foundation - Katara from February 4 to 8, and featured 29 countries, was a significant milestone in Qatar’s environmental efforts, as AgriteQ 2025 was dedicated to promoting agricultural technologies, supporting sustainability, and fostering international partnerships to drive innovation and investment in the agriculture sector, in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030 to achieve sustainable development.

In keeping with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC)'s endeavors, the Ministry of Municipality works towards preserving biodiversity, air quality, and combating desertification, with the Ministry of Municipality's figures demonstrating a remarkable growth in public parks and green spaces across Qatar, stemming from its commitment to expand green areas across the country by establishing public parks, planting trees, and launching national initiatives such as the "Plant a Million Trees" initiative and the Initiative to Plant 10 Million Trees by 2030.

The Ministry of Municipality said that the purpose of these initiatives is to improve the urban quality of life, resulting with all eight Qatari cities being recognized by the World Health Organization as Healthy Cities and seven Qatari cities joining the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities.

The Ministry of Municipality pointed out that the 'Plant a Million Trees' initiative (2019–2022) actually managed to plant one million tree saplings, while the ongoing Initiative to Plant 10 Million Trees by 2030 has already resulted in planting 320,000 tree saplings as of 2024.

In this context, Qatari laws enforce strict regulations and precautionary measures with the objective of ensuring the protection of wildlife and green spaces as well as preventing the spread of desertification, setting penalties for actions that harm the environment, in accordance with Law No. 30 of 2002 Promulgating the Law of the Environment Protection.

In this regard, MECC stresses the shared responsibility of all sectors of Qatari society in protecting the environment, requiring collective efforts to ensure a healthy and safe future for upcoming generations. (QNA)