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MECC and GGGI organize capacity building and stakeholder consultation workshop on climate vulnerability and impact assessment for Qatar

On May 30 & 31, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC) and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) Qatar Office organized a two-day capacity building and stakeholder consultation workshop in Doha on climate vulnerability and impact assessment for Qatar.

The event convened more than 120 officials from relevant government ministries, private sector entities, academia, as well as civil society organizations. It aimed to present the preliminary findings of the climate vulnerability assessment to identify the priority impacts and the appropriate adaptation measures for Qatar. This will enable Qatar to prepare for the impacts of climate change, thereby reinforcing its commitment to the Paris Agreement.

The first day of the workshop introduced the National Climate Adaptation Planning Project, one of the main work streams of the MECC-GGGI Cooperation Program and shared the preliminary findings of the climate vulnerability and impact assessment in 6 sectors (biodiversity, agriculture & livestock, water, energy, infrastructure and public health) for prioritization by stakeholders. The second day discussed the adaptation measures and their prioritization based on the identified impacts.

In his opening remarks, Eng. Ahmed Al-Sada, Assistant Undersecretary of Climate Change from Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC) stated that “climate change is considered as one of the top priorities for Qatar”, highlighting that the government “ has taken ambitious measures to achieve the Qatar National Vision 2030 in protecting the environment, boosting green growth, and limiting the effects of climate change, by developing the National Environment and Climate Change Strategy (QNE) and National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP) which will be implemented over the next ten years.” He thanked GGGI for its collaboration in this area and expressed his commitment in achieving Qatar’s aspirations to address the impacts of climate change.

 

GGGI Qatar Program Lead Chiden Balmes introduced the project and explained key concepts to enhance people’s understanding and awareness about adaptation. “GGGI hopes to advance the national adaptation planning process in Qatar by identifying and addressing its medium- and long-term priorities for adapting to climate change. Qatar is indeed facing some serious threats from climate-related impacts, but we can transform these challenges into opportunities for enhanced resilience.”

He highlighted the importance of identifying and implementing adaptation measures in Qatar, inviting all stakeholders to be part of the national adaptation planning process by sharing their knowledge, experience, and feedback.

The workshop content was developed and delivered by a team of GGGI staff and external experts from Ricardo who specialized in climate vulnerability and adaptation. It is part of GGGI Qatar’s capacity building initiative under the MECC-GGGI Cooperation Program on climate change and green growth.

MECC is GGGI’s focal ministry in Qatar and is working with the Institute on a number of other strategic policy and implementation areas as well, such as the development of a national green economy strategy and monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) system for Qatar. GGGI also has multi-year cooperation agreements with the aid agency Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) and Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs.