The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change's Environmental Assessment and Permits Department has called on project owners to comply with environmental assessment requirements and obtain the necessary environmental permits before commencing any operational or supporting activities.
This is part of the ministry’s commitment to protecting the environment and ensuring sustainable development in Qatar. Engineer Ahmed Abdulkarim al-Ibrahim, director of the Environmental Assessment and Permits Department, explained that environmental assessment is a key tool for identifying and evaluating the potential environmental impacts of projects and activities.
It ensures the provision of accurate scientific information that contributes to reducing negative environmental effects, while achieving a balance between the demands of economic development and environmental protection. This is done through identifying the positive and negative impacts of projects and measuring their extent and effect on the natural, social, and economic environment, in addition to proposing necessary mitigation measures and following up on their implementation through monitoring and evaluation programmes after project operation begins.
The official stressed that obtaining the required environmental permits is a fundamental step toward complying with national legislation and advancing sustainable development goals. It also ensures the availability of scientific information that supports informed decision-making regarding whether to proceed with, modify, or halt projects when necessary.
He pointed to the importance of projects and facilities complying with the environmental permitting procedures for operational and supporting activities, such as sediment collection basins resulting from tunnel excavation works, geotechnical investigations of soil and groundwater, dewatering operations to basins or the sea, as well as temporary and mobile wastewater treatment units, temporary site offices, and both permanent and temporary concrete and asphalt mixing plants.
Engineer al-Ibrahim further stressed the Ministry’s commitment to providing integrated supervision and regulatory services to review environmental permit applications, evaluate environmental impact studies, conduct the necessary inspections to verify compliance with environmental requirements, issue the needed approvals and permits, and monitor their validity to ensure that projects adhere to approved environmental standards.
Accordingly, he called on all the relevant parties to cooperate and communicate with the ministry early on, before initiating any operational or supporting activities or preparations, to avoid environmental violations or legal consequences. The official affirmed the ministry’s continued provision of technical support and guidance to facilitate the assessment process and obtaining environmental permits in accordance with best practices.
He also reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to enhancing environmental protection and achieving sustainable development in the country by applying the highest technical and regulatory standards, with the goal of serving the interests of society and preserving its resources for future generations.
The responsibilities of the Environmental Assessment and Permits Department include preparing specifications, requirements, and environmental conditions for projects, facilities, and activities, alongside the mechanisms for their application. The department supervises the implementation of environmental impact assessment procedures in coordination with the relevant entities, studies environmental permit applications, conducts necessary inspections, and issues and monitors the permits.
In addition, the department is responsible for reviewing environmental impact studies and environmental risk assessments, issuing the necessary approvals, and reassessing the environmental status of existing facilities to ensure their compliance with environmental standards.
The department issues operational permits for facilities and activities that meet environmental requirements, evaluates strategic environmental assessment studies related to plans, policies, and programs, and collaborates with the relevant authorities in setting environmental standards and criteria and preparing interpretive frameworks for them.
