Within its tireless endeavours to develop a diversified economy and achieve sustainable development in the country, Qatar has made significant progress and taken huge and rapid steps towards establishing a green economy capable of keeping pace with global changes by launching a set of strategies and initiatives covering all components of the national economy.
Qatar places environmental and sustainability issues as key priorities within its National Vision 2030 and in its development strategies to preserve resources for future generations. This includes the use of renewable energy sources, reducing water and energy consumption, improving energy efficiency in industrial processes, and focusing on achieving a balance between human needs and preserving the environment, which enhances green economy trends.
Green Bonds Issuance: Qatar has issued green bonds worth $2.5 bn, marking a significant step towards funding environmentally friendly projects and combating climate change
The Ministry of Finance's recent announcement of the issuance of green bonds totaling $2.5bn, the first of its kind in the region, marks the entry of Qatar into a new phase of funding environmentally friendly projects aimed at combating the negative effects of climate change and protecting the environment through sustainable development.
This initiative, along with other projects and initiatives in the field of sustainability and environmentally friendly solutions, affirms that Qatar is moving forward rapidly and steadily on the path to becoming an exceptional center in the region for the green economy model. This is in line with its international commitments and the perspective set by its National Vision 2030 to achieve a sustainable balance between economic and social development and environmental conservation.
Sustainability Strategies: QatarEnergy's updated Sustainability Strategy includes initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase solar capacity to over 5 GW, and deploy carbon capture and storage technology to capture over 11 million tons of CO2 by 2035.
Qatar's issuance of green bonds was preceded by many other strategies and initiatives, including the energy sector as one of the fundamental pillars of the national economy. QatarEnergy launched its updated Sustainability Strategy, which outlines multiple initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including flagship projects such as the further deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology to capture over 11mn tons per annum of CO2 in Qatar by 2035.
The strategy will further reduce the carbon intensity of Qatar's LNG facilities by 35%, and of its upstream facilities by at least 25% (compared to previous targets of 25% and 15%, respectively), bolstering Qatar's commitment to responsibly supply cleaner LNG at scale in support of the energy transition.
Furthermore, QatarEnergy will continue pursuing efforts to advance the midterm targets of increasing solar capacity to over 5 GW, eliminating routine flaring, and limiting fugitive methane emissions along the gas value chain.
Recycling Achievements: Qatar achieved a 100% recycling rate for all waste generated during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, reflecting its advanced recycling processes and commitment to sustainability.
Qatar's interest in the green economy is also evident through its efforts to establish a culture of sustainability and environmental preservation by working to increase recycling processes, reduce the use of natural resources and carbon emissions, and preserve biodiversity, which contribute to reducing negative impacts on the climate and achieving a balance between human needs and preserving the environment for future generations.
The Ministry of Municipality has reached advanced stages in the process of recycling, waste treatment, and utilisation as it manages the solid waste treatment plant, its transfer stations, and sanitary landfills for waste and recycling in accordance with international specifications and standards. Additionally, it is developing necessary plans and strategies for handling solid waste to ensure public health and safety.
In the context of the successes achieved by Qatar regarding recycling, Qatar managed to recycle all waste generated during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 by achieving a 100 percent recycling rate, marking the first time this rate was achieved in the history of previous World Cup events.
According to data from the National Planning Council, the total number of new projects subject to environmental impact assessment increased from 2,428 projects in 2021 to 2,676 projects in 2022, reflecting a growing environmental focus alongside developmental progress.
These projects subjected to assessment in the past year included 572 large projects, 1,433 small and medium-sized projects, and 671 industrial projects.
Statistics also indicate that 99.8% of treated wastewater in 2022 met environmental standards. Treated wastewater was utilised for agricultural irrigation, with a total of 76.13mn cubic meters used annually.
Additionally, 113.34mn cubic meters of treated wastewater were used for landscaping irrigation, while around 50.60mn cubic meters were injected into underground reservoirs annually.
The environment is a vital issue for the state's economic growth direction and perspective. Qatar's National Vision 2030 focuses on achieving true sustainability in the areas of environment, economy, and society. Within this context, the pillars of sustainability are part of the Expo 2023 Doha's theme, encompassing the following:
Economic Pillar: Investing in innovative agricultural technologies.
Social Pillar: Strengthening the connection between humans and nature to increase awareness.
Environmental Pillar: Transforming dry and barren lands into agricultural and forested areas.
Model projects and sustainable cities, such as Lusail City, Msheireb Downtown Doha, and Pearl Island, highlight Qatar’s efforts in this field as a model for sustainable cities. The country has invested heavily in these cities and regions to provide green infrastructure and smart technologies to control energy consumption. In this context, Lusail seamlessly integrates smart technologies with energy-efficient buildings to intelligent transportation solutions, while Msheireb Downtown Doha weaves smart infrastructure into its fabric to establish a connected and environmentally conscious urban centre.