The holy month of Ramadan represents an opportunity to promote values of moderation, balance, solidarity, and self-discipline. However, the month also witnesses a noticeable rise in consumption levels across several sectors, particularly food, energy, and water. Instead of being a month of moderation and restraint, Ramadan has become for some families a season of excessive spending. Excessive consumption during Ramadan contradicts the essence of fasting, which is intended to refine self-discipline and strengthen social solidarity. From an environmental perspective, over-consumption aggravates waste management challenges, increases pressure on natural resources, and contributes to a higher carbon footprint, negatively affecting both the environment and society. In this context, experts have warned of the adverse consequences of rising non-essential spending on household budgets during Ramadan, stressing the importance of adopting behaviours that reflect the true objectives of fasting. Experts interviewed by Qatar News Agency (QNA) stated that high consumption during Ramadan is no longer limited to food, but has become a comprehensive phenomenon affecting various aspects of daily life, from energy and water consumption to increased purchasing and unplanned spending, creating a striking contrast with the spiritual values that the holy month is meant to reinforce. In this regard, Chairman of Friends of Environment Center (FEC), Dr Saif bin Ali al-Hajari, said Ramadan has become for some segments of society a season of intensive consumption rather than a period of reflection and rational use of resources. He stressed that focusing solely on food waste, despite its importance, does not reflect the full scope of the problem. He noted that consumption in Ramadan doubles in several aspects, with food representing the most visible component of a broader pattern that also includes energy, water, goods and even time. Food waste remains the clearest indicator of escalating consumption during the holy month, with estimates suggesting that food waste ranges between 30 and 50 percent of total food prepared in homes, hotels and restaurants. Food wasteDr al-Hajari pointed out that the average per capita food waste in Qatar during Ramadan exceeds global averages, stressing that these figures reflect imbalances in consumption culture and food planning, particularly amid the expansion of Ramadan banquets, social gatherings and rising demand for takeaway meals. The chairman of FEC also highlighted that energy and water consumption during Ramadan are no less significant than food waste. Homes typically experience higher electricity usage due to increased cooking activities and prolonged operation of household appliances, in addition to rising water consumption associated with food preparation and cleaning. He explained that this increase often occurs without real awareness of its environmental impact, despite its direct pressure on natural resources and contribution to a higher ecological footprint, stressing that rationalizing energy and water use is as important ethically and religiously as reducing food waste. Dr al-Hajari added that consumption during Ramadan also extends to non-food goods, as shopping malls and markets witness growing consumer demand driven by promotional campaigns and seasonal purchasing associated with the holy month. This spending pattern reflects a seasonal consumer culture based not on actual need but on social and psychological motivations, warning of its economic impact on families, especially amid rising financial obligations during and after Ramadan. In a less discussed dimension, Dr al-Hajari pointed out that wasting time is another form of irrational consumption during Ramadan, where excessive focus on preparation and consumption activities may overshadow the spiritual essence of the month, which is based on worship, reflection and social solidarity. Regarding the root causes of rising consumption patterns, he attributed them to the persistence of social customs linking abundance with social status, weak planning at the household level, commercial advertising influences during Ramadan, and limited awareness of long-term environmental and economic impacts. Dr Saif bin Ali al-Hajari affirmed that Qatar is making continuous efforts to promote responsible consumption through the National Food Security Strategy, waste reduction programs, and environmental and community initiatives aimed at strengthening sustainability concepts. He noted that charitable initiatives, smart applications and partnerships with the private sector provide practical models for managing consumption surplus, though their success ultimately depends on changing individual behaviour. He called for redefining the relationship with consumption during Ramadan, stressing that moderation does not mean limiting generosity but directing it in the right way. He emphasized that Ramadan is an opportunity to practice awareness rather than multiply consumption, and every resource we preserve today is a right for future generations. He also stated that building a sustainable society begins with simple daily decisions related to what we buy, consume and waste, stressing that the true spirit of Ramadan lies in balance rather than excess. For his part, Professor of Finance at the School of Business at Al al-Bayt University in Jordan, Omar Khalif Gharaibeh, pointed out in remarks to QNA that Ramadan has become a unique seasonal consumption phenomenon in Muslim societies, with effects extending to essential resources such as water and energy, as well as consumer behaviour regarding goods and services. Field estimates indicate that demand for food products may increase by 50 to 100 percent in some markets during Ramadan, accompanied by a noticeable rise in food waste. He also cited estimates by the Food and Agriculture Organization stating that about 1.3bn tonnes of food are wasted annually, adding that Ramadan represents a seasonal example of the global challenge of food loss. He noted the transformation of the holy month in some cases into a consumption-driven season influenced by social customs, advertising, and marketing campaigns. Excessive consumptionShopping has become an end, with spending increasing before iftar due to hunger and psychological stimulation. This psychological and social shift reflects a fundamental paradox: fasting is meant to regulate desires, yet in practice it is often accompanied by excessive consumption and waste, placing pressure on household and economic resources. Excessive consumption is not only linked to economic aspects but also to environmental challenges, including water and energy depletion, increased organic waste, and higher carbon emissions. Health experts also warn that overindulgence in sweets and fatty foods and poor sleep regulation can harm individual health, reflecting how resource mismanagement extends from society to the human body itself. Gharaibeh highlighted that Ramadan should be a comprehensive test of self-management and resource governance at both individual and societal levels, linking spiritual values with practical responsibility. He stressed that Ramadan should not become a season of luxury food or social competition but rather an opportunity to promote moderation and discipline in personal and public resources. He called for community-wide engagement in sustainable behaviour to reduce waste and support food security, noting that solutions should not be limited to individuals but should also involve public policies that encourage rational consumption, reuse practices and food donation. Addressing excessive consumption during Ramadan requires dual awareness, religious awareness that restores the true meaning of fasting based on moderation, and economic and environmental awareness that recognizes the impact of individual behavior on resource sustainability. Balancing the spiritual dimension with environmental responsibility is the pathway to making Ramadan a month of true worship and sustainable development at the same time.

Ukraine’s economy is enduring its toughest period since the early months of Russia’s invasion after sustained air strikes left its power system in tatters as the war enters a fifth year, forcing firms to cut output and shrinking state revenues. From steel mills to miners, ‌cement makers and food producers, Ukrainian industry is being forced to cut output and absorb rising costs as it struggles to shift work ​schedules and save equipment from emergency shutdowns, executives at ‌eight companies said. Sergii Pylypenko, CEO of Kovalska Group, Ukraine’s largest producer of concrete and building materials, said the diesel generators it had bought ‌could not power the entire output of its large factories: “For more than two ‌months now, we have been working under emergency power cuts without ‌any predictable schedule. “In certain periods, the lack of a stable power supply can reduce production volumes by up to 50%.” Ukraine’s economy shrank by nearly a third in the first year of the war and, despite modest growth during subsequent years, it remains far smaller than before the invasion and heavily reliant on government spending. Nearly 6mn people have left Ukraine and more than 3mn are displaced within its borders, accounting for over a fifth of the pre-war population. In February, the monthly business activity recovery index of the Institute for Economic Research in Kyiv — which compares the number of companies reporting that business is worse or better than last year — turned negative for the first time since 2023. Ukraine’s economy is vital not only to provide tax revenues to finance the war and fund debt, and to produce armaments, but also to provide jobs and economic prospects ​for soldiers and returning refugees when peace finally returns. Oleksandr Myronenko, chief operating officer at Metinvest, a mining and metals group with annual revenues of around $7bn, said the long power outages made it difficult to restart production after Russian strikes. Metinvest — controlled by Rinat Akhmetov, one of Ukraine’s richest men — has been a major generator of tax revenues and steel for the ‌war effort. It has forecast growth this year in Ukraine, but failed to achieve that in the ​first two months owing to the impact of Russian bombardment, Myronenko said. “This included damage to generating capacities and also to the transport ​infrastructure, which affects not only steel makers but all producers in Ukraine: they have to decrease volumes,” he said. Nataliia Kolesnichenko, economist at the Centre for Economic Studies in Kyiv, estimated energy demand had exceeded supply by 30% in January and February. “The energy situation has deteriorated dramatically in recent months,” she said. Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said on February 12 that, even though temperatures were warming, peak demand stood at 16.4 gigawatts, still well above the 12.3 gigawatts Ukraine was able to produce, and that it was importing almost 2 gigawatts at peak times. Businesses are having to contend with lower output, rising costs, disruption of supply chains and longer delivery times. These all affect competitiveness and will increase inflation, already running at around 7%, three economists said. The power crisis has already prompted Ukraine’s central bank to cut its forecast for economic growth this year to 1.8% from 2% - in line with the 1.8% growth expected to be announced for last year. Independent economists are more cautious. Dragon Capital, an investment house, forecasts growth of 1% this year due to the electricity ‌deficit, while ICU — a Kyiv-based asset manager and investment bank — ‌has downgraded its growth forecast to 0.8% from 1.2%. ICU said about 20-25% of economic output is reliant on steady electricity supplies. Many small businesses have struggled to stay afloat during the coldest, darkest winter of the war, contending also with the chilling effect of long blackouts on consumer demand. Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said the energy crisis had cost the state budget about 12bn hryvnias ($280mn) in customs and tax revenues in January alone.