HE the Minister of Municipality and Environment Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Subaie stressed Qatar's keenness to play its role as an active partner with the international community in tackling the impacts of climate change, in line with the principles of the United Nations Convention.
The minister highlighted the announcement of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani during the UN Climate Action Summit in New York in September that Qatar will contribute $100mn to support the small island developing states and the least developed countries to deal with climate change, natural hazards and environmental challenges, and build the necessary capabilities to face the impacts of climate change, which would enhance the global efforts in this area.
Addressing the 25th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in the Spanish capital Madrid Tuesday, the minister said that within the framework of Qatar's support to the efforts of the international community to confront climate change, Doha hosted in 2012 the 18th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, adding that Qatar is also a founding member of the Global Green Growth Institute which helps developing countries to pursue development strategies based on sustainability principles.
HE al-Subaie noted that environmental development is one of the four main pillars of Qatar National Vision 2030, which seeks to support projects that promote clean energy use and enhance the efficiency of natural gas and energy use, waste recycling and increasing green spaces.
The minister pointed out that the launch by Qatar of a project to establish a solar energy plant represents an important step in the way of diversifying the sources of Qatar's production of electrical energy and increasing dependence on renewable energy sources.
Meanwhile, the launch of the electric bus operation project, and the project of using compressed natural gas as an alternative fuel in the transportation sector, especially in public transport applications in Qatar, is a reinforcement of sustainable transportation in the country, in order to achieve integration with the Doha Metro project as part of efforts to reduce emissions from transportation.
The minister added that several projects and initiatives that contribute to the efforts to reduce emissions have been implemented Qatar, such as the ones to promote clean development that aligns the factors of economic development in the country and environmental development, adding that work is also underway on a number of neutral carbon projects.
In a related context, Qatar recently launched the 'One Million Tree Initiative', as a social programme to promote environmental sustainability, adapt to the expected effects of climate change, reduce emissions and improve air quality, the minister added.
The minister underlined that facing the impacts of climate change requires concerted international efforts in line with the principles of the United Nations Convention.
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