Dr. Gonzalo Castro de la Mata
Doha, Qatar: By providing a platform for dialogue and facilitating actions, Earthna Center for a Sustainable Future, a member of Qatar Foundation, supports Qatar’s vision for sustainability and helps translate it into real impact.
Earthna is committed to supporting and advocating Qatar’s longstanding efforts to address environmental challenges and prioritise sustainability, in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030, said Executive Director of Earthna Dr. Gonzalo Castro de la Mata, in an interview with The Peninsula.
“We do support Qatar’s efforts by undertaking research programmes to inform our work and convening relevant stakeholders, including government representatives, businesses, organisations, academia, and the community, to facilitate dialogue and action on sustainability-related topics,” said Dr. Castro de la Mata.
“As part of this, Earthna leads various events, initiatives, and campaigns that help to drive local and global thinking and action around sustainability,” he said.
Established by the Qatar Foundation in 2022, Earthna has made remarkable progress as a policy research and advocacy centre, developing a new understanding of sustainability and economic prosperity in Qatar and other countries with hot and arid climates.
The work of Earthana revolves around three key areas: providing policy analysis and advice, applying and testing this within Education City, and leading national, regional, and international advocacy and outreach on topics relating to sustainability.
“We take an evidence-based approach to policy development by building on existing research and data in our key focus areas of sustainability frameworks for hot and arid countries, food security and adaptation, climate change and energy transition, circularity, resilient cities, biodiversity and ecosystems, and education, awareness, and values,” said Dr. Castro de la Mata.
“As Earthna continues to evolve, we will remain focused on advancing sustainability in Qatar and beyond by collaborating with stakeholders on energy and climate change, circularity, the built environment, biodiversity, and education,” he added.
Through local advocacy, Earthna strives to empower people in Qatar to adopt environmentally conscious behaviours and become local ambassadors and advocates for sustainability. Earthna also works with various stakeholders, such as government entities, private organizations, and local communities, to foster sustainability in Qatar.
“We have a close and collaborative working relationship with the key national stakeholders, particularly the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. We also engage with stakeholders through events and initiatives, such as the annual Qatar National Dialogue on Climate Change (QNDCC),” said Dr. Castro de la Mata.
QNDCC unites delegates from diverse government entities, financial institutions, academic organizations, and distinguished international thought leaders. The purpose is to engage in profound discussions surrounding the obstacles and possibilities concerning climate change adaptation and mitigation.
“By convening these stakeholders, we aim to explore how global knowledge and experiences and local best practices can be applied in Qatar,” said Dr. Castro de la Mata, adding that the third edition of QNDCC will be held in October.
Another significant initiative Earthna leads is the annual Qatar Sustainability Week (QSW). The national campaign is designed to engage the community through diverse activities and raise societal awareness of environmental issues and the community’s role in addressing these.
“QSW is a unique platform for us to encourage individuals across the country to participate in and promote Qatar’s sustainability vision,” said Dr. Castro de la Mata.
The eighth edition of QSW will be held from November 4 to 11.
