DOHA, (Pakistan Point News - 14th Jul, 2026) Desertification and drought represent growing environmental and development challenges globally amid the accelerating pace of climate change and continued pressures resulting from human activities. The resulting degradation of land and natural resources threatens food security and biodiversity and undermines efforts to achieve sustainable development.
Recognising these challenges, the State of Qatar attaches great importance to combating desertification and drought in light of its geographical nature, characterised by a hot, arid desert climate, limited surface water resources and the distinctive nature of its vegetation cover.
Within the framework of Qatar National Vision 2030, the country has adopted an integrated strategic approach to addressing these challenges, based on protecting natural resources and achieving sustainable development through the expansion of afforestation programmes, the cultivation of drought-resistant plants, the application of modern water-saving irrigation technologies, the rehabilitation of degraded land and improvement of soil properties, in addition to strengthening environmental monitoring systems through the use of advanced technologies.
At the regional and international levels, Qatar pursues an active policy in combating desertification and promoting environmental sustainability through its commitment to relevant international agreements and participation in global efforts to address environmental challenges.
These include accession to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and compliance with its provisions, participation in Conferences of the Parties negotiations on climate change, support and financing for regional environmental projects through the Qatar Fund for Development, strengthened cooperation with GCC countries in the field of joint environmental management, and hosting international conferences and events related to the environment and climate.
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change plays a central role in implementing national policies and programmes aimed at combating desertification and drought and protecting natural resources through developing environmental legislation and policies, overseeing biodiversity conservation programmes, monitoring soil quality and water resources, managing nature reserves, and coordinating with local and international entities within the framework of environmental agreements.
As part of these efforts, the ministry continues to contribute to Qatar's initiative to plant 10 million trees by 2030, announced under the middle East Green Initiative. More than four million trees have been planted so far, representing more than 40 percent of the national target.
During 2025, a total of 19,580 local wild and coastal seedlings were cultivated, while 31,275 wild and coastal seedlings were produced at Al Ghashamiya Nursery to support propagation and environmental rehabilitation programmes.
These efforts are complemented by programmes to protect and rehabilitate natural meadows and habitats, alongside the expansion of environmental monitoring and rehabilitation programmes, contributing to the objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030 and the National Environment and Climate Change Strategy.
To reinforce this approach, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change last year launched the National Strategy to Combat Desertification 2025-2030 as part of Qatar's efforts to protect its natural resources, enhance their sustainability, and reduce land degradation and the impacts of drought, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Third National Development Strategy 2024-2030.
The strategy aims to establish a comprehensive national framework to combat desertification and achieve land degradation neutrality by improving the efficiency of natural resource management and strengthening supportive legislation and policies that contribute to protecting ecosystems and achieving sustainable development.
The strategy is based on six main outcomes: protecting ecosystems and reducing the drivers of desertification and drought; sustainable management of natural resources; enhancing vegetation cover and rehabilitating affected environments; capacity building and support for scientific research and innovation; developing legislation and policies and achieving effective governance; and strengthening community participation and national and international partnerships.
The ministry is implementing a number of programmes and initiatives aimed at reducing land degradation and enhancing vegetation cover, including afforestation programmes, the cultivation of plant species adapted to the Qatari environment, environmental monitoring programmes based on advanced systems for tracking indicators of land degradation and vegetation cover, and initiatives to rehabilitate land, improve its quality and mitigate the effects of desertification.
The ministry also places particular importance on harnessing technology and innovation in its environmental efforts through the use of geographic information systems, remote sensing technologies to monitor environmental changes, the development of smart irrigation and sustainable agriculture applications, support for research related to drought adaptation, and improving the ability of ecosystems to cope with climate challenges.
These efforts are supported by an integrated legislative and regulatory framework aimed at protecting the environment and natural resources. This includes laws and regulations governing the protection of agricultural land, water resources and biodiversity, in addition to environmental assessment requirements for various projects to achieve a balance between development and environmental conservation.
In terms of awareness, the ministry is keen to promote environmental awareness and community participation through awareness and afforestation programmes, support for research initiatives, and encouragement of all society segments and the private sector to contribute to environmental protection and the preservation of natural resources, supporting Qatar's commitment to achieving sustainable development and strengthening its capacity to address future environmental challenges.
In a statement to Qatar news Agency (QNA), Dr. Ibrahim Abdul Latif Al Muslimani, Assistant Undersecretary for Protection and Natural Reserves Affairs at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, said the ministry is implementing the National Strategy and Action Plan to Combat Desertification 2025-2030, which includes programmes and projects to rehabilitate degraded land, protect natural meadows and habitats, develop vegetation cover, ensure sustainable management of natural resources and combat invasive plant species.
He said the strategy aims to restore and rehabilitate at least 30 percent of degraded natural habitats.
Dr. Al Muslimani added that nature reserves represent a key pillar of Qatar's efforts to protect biodiversity and reduce land degradation, noting that terrestrial reserves currently cover about 27 percent of the country's area, with work under way to increase protected terrestrial and marine areas to 30 percent by 2030.
He said the ministry carried out protection and rehabilitation works at 76 natural meadows and sites covering a total area of 16.72 square kilometres between 2019 and 2026 through fencing, regulating access, planting native species and dispersing seeds, with plans to expand protection and rehabilitation programmes to include 500 natural meadows and sites by 2030.
Regarding modern technologies, he said the ministry uses geographic information systems, remote sensing technologies and drones to monitor land conditions and vegetation cover. These efforts have contributed to documenting 1,573 natural meadows and establishing the country's first integrated national spatial database for natural meadows and sites, in addition to studying the use of artificial intelligence applications to enhance environmental monitoring and support decision-making.
On national partnerships, Dr. Al Muslimani stressed that combating desertification requires concerted efforts by all stakeholders, noting that more than 25 national entities have participated in related technical consultations, while private sector institutions have contributed to supporting projects for fencing, planting and rehabilitating natural meadows as part of their corporate social responsibility initiatives.
For his part, Khalid Boujamhour Al Muhannadi, Director of the Wildlife Development Department at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, said Qatar addresses the challenges of desertification and drought through a long-term strategy based on sustainable land management, restoration of degraded areas and enhancement of native vegetation cover, thereby increasing the resilience of ecosystems to climate change.
He explained that Qatar's geographical nature as an arid environment makes it more vulnerable to limited rainfall, rising temperatures and water scarcity, noting that global climate change creates additional challenges requiring proactive, science-based solutions.
He said the ministry is working to protect natural habitats, develop environmental monitoring systems, utilise modern technologies, geographic information systems and remote sensing to monitor land conditions and support data-driven decision-making, while integrating environmental considerations into national planning to ensure the sustainability of natural resources for future generations.
Regarding current projects and initiatives, he said the ministry is implementing a number of programmes aimed at protecting the environment and adapting to climate change, including the Qatar desert rehabilitation project, programmes to protect natural meadows and restore degraded land, combating invasive plant species, and producing and propagating native wild plants.
Al Muhannadi stressed that environmental protection is a shared societal responsibility, noting that the ministry continues to strengthen environmental awareness through campaigns and educational programmes targeting all segments of society, while involving volunteers, educational institutions and the private sector in initiatives to protect natural meadows, plant native species and preserve natural habitats.
He added that the ministry also seeks to promote the responsible use of natural resources and encourage positive environmental behaviour, including adherence to environmental regulations and the protection of vegetation cover and natural habitats, thereby strengthening community participation in national efforts to combat desertification and adapt to climate change, while supporting the achievement of Qatar's development and sustainability goals.
For his part, Dr. Saif Ali Al Hajri, Chairman of the Nature Conservators Centre in Qatar, said the country has successfully transformed its barren desert environment into green land and open spaces through ambitious plans and programmes and effective regional and international cooperation and partnerships.
In a statement to QNA, Dr. Al Hajri highlighted the close cooperation among government ministries and institutions concerned with agriculture, sustainability, roadside and park afforestation, and addressing climate-related environmental challenges, alongside the high level of public awareness of these issues.
He noted that green spaces and public and home gardens have expanded significantly, supported by afforestation initiatives, including the One Million Trees initiative, followed by the regional 10 Million Trees initiative under the Middle East Green Initiative.
He also noted that Qatar has adopted advanced technologies in irrigation, agriculture and soil treatment to transform desert land into productive green areas that contribute to food security. These efforts have been complemented by programmes to rehabilitate natural meadows, propagate seeds, expand public parks over the past decade, and cultivate extensive areas of Qatar's desert with native and coastal plants, including mangroves, which are known for their ability to absorb greenhouse gases.
Dr. Al Hajri added that Qatar also organises and hosts numerous related events, including the annual AgriteQ exhibition, Expo 2023 Doha under the theme "Green Desert, Better Environment", and other activities, initiatives and programmes aimed at combating desertification and drought.
He said these efforts provide a healthy, green and sustainable environment for current and future generations, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change's strategy, and the objectives of the National Strategy to Combat Desertification 2025-2030.
