Bader Al Dafa, Special Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Climate Change and Sustainability (right) and Dr. Anna Paolina, Director, Unesco GCC, and Yemen during the launch of the ‘Household Carbon Footprint Initiative.’
The Arab Youth Climate Movement Qatar (AYCMQ) has launched the ‘Household Carbon Footprint Initiative.’ The plan would be conducted in partnership with various stakeholders, including the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE), the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), Unesco, and others.
Carbon footprint means the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) released into the atmosphere due to the activities of a particular individual, organisation, or community. The initiative aims to drive Qatar’s ambition to reduce carbon footprint by targeting households.
The initiative targets correcting the lack of data about consumption and emission profile of different socioeconomic groups in Qatar and better understanding household consumption and emission, which will help design and develop better mitigation options. It will also help facilitate transitioning into a low-carbon society.
Speaking at the launch, Special Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Climate Change and Sustainability H E Bader Al Dafa said, “As part of its National Vision 2030, Qatar values environmental development and has implemented a number of initiatives that highlights the importance of reducing carbon. As the host of the FIFA World Cup 2022, sustainability is at the core of our preparations.
It will be the first carbon-neutral tournament through the use of solar-powered stadiums.” Al Dafa hailed AYCMQ for launching the initiative and stressed that Qatar is creating a generation that understands climate change and is building a knowledge-based and greener economy.
The ‘Household Carbon Footprint Initiative’ would be accomplished in three phases from October 2021 to March 1, 2022, including information gathering, which will target 1,800-2,000 households, and several schools across Qatar.
Dr. Sayeed Mohammed, Director and Project Lead of the initiative, said climate change is the greatest threat to humanity. “If we look at some of the temperature changes, of which we have recorded an increase in the last 150 years, and it is expected to increase by another two to three degrees if we don’t take any measure,” Dr. Mohammed said.
“Other issues are the global waste management issues especially plastic in this part of the world. It is threatening the entire biodiversity. Also, we consume more resources now compared to the last 40 years, which put pressure on the natural environment. We need to find ways to preserve and conserve the environment.”
The launch was also attended by Dr. Anna Paolina, Director, Unesco GCC, and Yemen, who praised the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change formation. Dr. Paolina called for more action from stakeholders, especially as world leaders gather for the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Scotland.
Meanwhile, AYCMQ’s Hessa Al Noami said the organisation was working with relevant bodies and government institutions, particularly the MoEHE, to incorporate programmes on climate change sustainability into the curriculum.
Recently, Qatar announced a milestone National Environment and Climate Change Strategy. The Strategy will deliver three objectives of enhancing the health and vitality of the environment, improving the well-being of the Qatari population, and ensuring the economy’s resilience.
