Qatar's laws and legislation to protect and preserve the environment are strict, HE the Minister of Municipality and Environment Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Subaie, said on Tuesday.
In remarks he made on the sidelines of the celebration of Qatar Environment Day at the Cultural Village Foundation (Katara), the minister pointed out that as a result of the process of development in the country law is being modified to keep pace with it, including those governing waste recycling and air quality.
"All these are legislative instruments which are being studied," he explained.
The minister praised the importance attached by Qatar, under the leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, to the protection and preservation of the environment.
The minister said that environment is a global issue, which is why the state is harnessing all the capabilities to preserve, sustain and protect it.
Qatar Environment Day falls on February 26 every year. The minister pointed out that marking Qatar Environment Day is a proof of this keenness.
The Ministry of Municipality and Environment will organise a three-day event under the theme "Our Environment is our Future", in which environmental departments will present their activities and efforts in the field of environmental protection, in addition to holding a series of activities, workshops and events.
The minister referred to the projects carried out by the Ministry of Municipality and Environment in this context, including the issues of environmental sustainability and biodiversity, protecting land and sea environment, monitoring of air, water and soil quality, protection of wildlife and preservation of endangered animals, climate change and initiatives by the state with regard to adaptation with and reducing the effects of climate change.
All these efforts, programmes and projects emphasise the keenness of the state and the Ministry of Municipality and Environment to achieve development and protection of the environment, he said.
The minister added that the environment and its sustainability are individual, collective, international, societal responsibility, stressing that government officials, individuals, communities, governments and peoples must preserve the environment and natural resources, combat and prevent pollution and progress on matters that improve the environmental aspects of society and the state.
He also touched on a number of other environmental projects that the Ministry is keen to develop including the protection of rangelands and afforestation, as well as the biological information bank for all plants and livestock in Qatar.
