4 days ago
Qatar a regional model for balancing development and environmental protection: UNEP regional director
DOHA: Director and Regional Representative of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) for West Asia Sami Dimassi has emphasized that the State of Qatar represents a model to be emulated regionally and globally in achieving a balance between sustainable development and environmental conservation.
In a speech delivered at the launch ceremony of the Qatar Biodiversity Database on Tuesday, Dimassi commended the progress made by Qatar in the areas of sustainable development, particularly in the area of biodiversity protection, stressing the need to preserve the country's natural wealth from deterioration and growing challenges.
He noted that the State of Qatar enjoys a unique environmental diversity that includes terrestrial, marine, coastal, and desert systems, making it an environment rich in living organisms that form part of its natural heritage.
Dimassi added that the launch of the Qatar Biodiversity Database is the fruit of a strategic partnership between the UNEP and Qatar, resulting in the development of technical mechanisms that enhance biodiversity governance, scientific monitoring and documentation systems, and the provision of accurate data that supports decision-makers and national environmental policies.
He also revealed that 2,566 living species have been documented in the database to date as a first phase, with the potential for continued expansion and updates. He called on government and research institutions in the country to continue providing the platform with data, making it a key information hub that contributes to fulfilling Qatar's commitments under international environmental agreements and achieving sustainable development goals.
Dimassi concluded his remarks by expressing the UNEP's pride in its partnership with the State of Qatar, emphasizing the program's aspiration to expand future cooperation and enhance national capacities for informed environmental decision-making based on science and knowledge.
