* Various activities will be held to mark occasion
The Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) will celebrate Qatar's Environment Day today through various activities.
The activities will be held in a number of areas and winter camps, in the presence of ministry officials, and continue until Saturday.
A number of beaches will be cleaned and rehabilitated on this occasion.
Qatar's Environment Day is celebrated on February 26 every year.
HE the Minister of Municipality and Environment Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Subaie said in a statement that Qatar, under the wise leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, is keen to protect the environment and its natural balance in order to achieve comprehensive and sustainable development for all generations.
The country has placed environmental development as one of the four pillars of Qatar National Vision 2030 (QNV2030), and emphasised that achieving this vision is a national responsibility, he stressed.
HE the Minister said that the MME, with the participation of various parties and groups from the society, celebrates this day to emphasise the importance of the environment, its preservation and sustainability for future generations.
HE al-Subaie added that through the second national development strategy and the strategic plan of the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (2018-2022), clear goals have been set to achieve the country's environmental sustainability.
The ministry works through many projects and initiatives to achieve these strategic environmental goals and enhance environmental protection, sustainability and integration.
HE al-Subaie stressed Qatar's keenness and interest in playing an active role with the international community in protecting the environment, through its accession to many international agreements, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, because biodiversity is considered one of the basics associated with human health in terms of its support for ecosystems.
Qatar also joined the Vienna Convention on the Protection of the Ozone Layer.
Further, he noted that the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic is not a barrier that would be difficult to bypass, but rather a challenge and a catalyst to work positively and steadily towards achieving the strategic goals for development, and a drive to move forward and take measures that would enhance capabilities to address environmental challenges and strengthening capacities to recover from the pandemic, taking into account the preservation and sustainability of all ecosystems.
HE the Minister extended his thanks and appreciation to all entities and individuals in the country for their participation in Qatar's Environment Day, especially the media and their active role in spreading awareness in preserving the environment and health.
He called on everyone to contribute to preserving Qatar’s environment to reach the goal of environmental sustainability for future generations.
For his part, Hassan Bojumhur al-Mohannadi, the assistant undersecretary for environmental affairs at the MME, affirmed that the allocation of a day every year to celebrate the environment in Qatar is evidence of the state's interest in this issue.
He said that the MME celebrates every year this day with the participation of governmental and non-governmental agencies and members of the community.
Al-Mohannadi added that Qatar has established its great interest in the environment, through Qatar’s constitution, environmental laws and QNV2030.
He emphasised that the increase in community participation in environmental activities and events is evidence of the high level of environmental awareness among various individuals and groups of society, which "contributes to changing and improving our behaviour patterns towards our environmental resources".
 
 
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