Staff Writer
MoU was signed by Qatar University (QU) and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) to collaborate on environmental projects and studies. On the campus of the university, the MoU was signed in the presence of H E Sheikh Dr. Faleh bin Nasser Al Thani, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, and Dr. Hassan Al Derham, President of QU.
Dr. Ibrahim Abdullatif Al Maslamani, assistant undersecretary for protection and natural reserves affairs at the MOECC, and Prof. Mariam Al Maadeed, vice president for research and graduate studies at QU, signed the agreement.
Dr. Al Maslamani expressed his appreciation for the collaboration with QU in his statement following the signing of the agreement, stressing that the university is one of the crucial national institutions for study and research. Dr. Al Maslamani pointed out that the Ministry is aiming to take advantage of the University’s scientific competence so that MOECC decision-makers may make suitable, evidence-based judgments. According to him, this cooperation is one approach to carry out the national strategy for environmental sustainability.
He declared, “I am confident that the work done by Qatar University will cover the three areas of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, including protection of natural reserves, environmental protection, and the field of climate change and sustainability, which includes ensuring capacity building through training.”
Dr. Al Maslamani emphasized that this cooperation is a continuation of the prior collaboration between the university and the ministry because it was preceded by research in a number of areas, the most significant of which is the examination of the social and environmental effects of the camping season on the nation.
Prof. Al Maadeed said in her remarks for the occasion that QU looks forward to working with various organizations and bodies in the nation to realize the Sustainable Development Goals and the Qatar National Vision 2030, with the goal of addressing diverse environmental concerns. She proceeded by pointing out that their collaboration with the Ministry is not their first, but rather the continuation of a partnership to advance their combined work in numerous domains for the sharing of information and experience too. She said that QU is a breeding ground for knowledge, programs, and disciplines in the area of environmental challenges.
The two parties, who are firm believers in the critical role played by scientific research in addressing social issues, seek to address challenges affecting the Qatari environment and its intrinsic and biological variety. The agreement also calls for collaboration in holding meetings and training sessions for experts and professionals, exchanging experiences in a variety of disciplines, including statistics and data, creating working committees to create joint plans, and holding consultative meetings.
The agreement covers a variety of topics of shared interest, including biodiversity, wildlife, and the status of their environments; management, development, and rehabilitation of natural reserves; the effects of hunting operations on the environment and fungi both inside and outside of reserves; the state of the environment; and many more.
