Despite unprecedented pace of development and a constant boom in construction sector and population of the country, Qatar is successfully achieving its goals vis a vis environment protection and sustainability.
With dozens of timely initiatives, Qatar has been able to protect natural environment and through sticking to environmentally–friendly practices the country is set to achieve more sustainable development goals in the future. In the times when climate change has become a global threat, every country will have to come forward to address the challenge with firm commitment and concrete, result-oriented policies.
Owing to a number of efforts made by Qatar government, the total waste generated in the country has fallen significantly. The total waste generated in the country has declined by around 32 per cent since 2011. According to the ‘Second Voluntary National Review 2018’, the total waste declined from about 12.1 million tonnes in 2011 to about 8.2 million tonnes in 2017.
“The Government has encouraged the efficient use of natural resources, green initiatives and buildings by reducing waste production through reduction and recycling, and the development and implementation of programs and projects related to pollution and solid waste recycling (construction, building waste, and domestic waste) from about 9.6 million tonnes in 2011 to about 4.6 million tonnes in 2017,” said the report.
It is due to collective efforts of all state institutions and organizations. For example, the Public Works Authority (Ashghal), the governmental body responsible of executing all development projects in the country, signed an MoU with International Roads Federation (IRF) Geneva for cooperation in the field of construction recycling in March this year. Ashghal had has also signed another MoU with VINCI Construction Grands Projects to cooperate in the field of recycling of construction materials.
Ashghal’s initiatives to promote recycling of construction materials contribute to the formation of a sustainable platform for the development of local infrastructure. It is worth mentioning here that the National Strategy 2017-2022 of the State of Qatar aims at using at least 20% of recycled materials to reduce the cost of raw materials used in road construction in Qatar by 30% and to use environment friendly methods in the use of building materials, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030 for accomplishing sustainability.
Meanwhile, Qatargas Operating Company Limited (Qatargas) recently announced the successful hand over of a new Water Recycling Facility at LR2 to reduce water consumption and eliminate the discharge of treated industrial water to the sea.
Seventy percent of the recycled water will be used as boiler feed and cooling water in the Laffan Refineries, the remaining 30 percent is sent to Ras Laffan Industrial City (RLIC) for irrigation purposes.
