* Environmental data monitoring and analysis unit have been installed in the vicinity of World Cup venues to monitor air quality in stadiums and crowded areas
 
HE the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Sheikh Dr Faleh bin Nasser bin Ali al-Thani said that the air quality in Qatar is excellent, and all air quality monitoring stations across various areas in the country show that pollution rates are lower than normal or within normal limits. In an exclusive statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA) during the inauguration of the environmental data monitoring and analysis unit, HE the Minister explained that dust in the air is not a major concern, because it is not considered an industrial pollutant, but rather a natural pollutant that exists in varying rates in all countries of the world. He stressed that the ministry is working to reduce this ratio and improve air quality even more.
HE the Minister added that the air quality monitoring unit in Qatar consists of 40 fixed and mobile stations spread across different areas in the country, and that stations belonging to other entities such as QatarEnergy, the Meteorology Department, Ashghal, the Ministry of Public Health and others will be linked to them later, so that information is transferred between these entities easily to monitor and analyse the observed data. He said that these stations have basic global air quality indicators and standards, and are integrated and equipped with state-of-the-art devices and technologies, noting that the ministry has installed a station in the vicinity of each of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 venues to monitor air quality in stadiums and crowded areas. These air quality stations are located on a distance of 5sq km, and they analyse data, track the source of pollution and notify the concerned authorities to take the necessary action.
Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Environmental Affairs at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Abdulhadi Almarri said that the environmental data monitoring and analysis unit in Qatar represents a protection and sustainability for the environment, by monitoring any environmental pollution in it, pointing out that the environmental sector is always working to develop its tools, mechanisms and programs within the operational management plans of ministry's sustainable strategy.
He noted that the environment sector launched many initiatives and organised many events to achieve the national development's goals and strategy of Qatar related to the field of sustainability, and to educate the community about the importance of protecting the environment and its resources and sustainability according to the approved strategies. Abdulhadi Almarri indicated that the environmental data monitoring and analysis unit serves scientific environmental studies on air quality and studies the long-term impacts of climate change, as it collects real-time, continuous and high-accuracy data on ambient air quality through stations distributed across the country and linked to the Ministry's national network.
Director of the Department of Monitoring and Environmental Laboratory in the Ministry Eng Hassan al-Qassimi said that the launch of the environmental data monitoring and analysis unit will help in obtaining high-accuracy data on air quality and identifying the sources of pollutants and their impact, whether they are fixed or mobile sources, such as measuring the impact of transportation, car movement and the transport network on the air quality, and determine the impact of cross-border pollution in Qatar. He underlined that the launch of this unit is an important step in air quality forecasting in the country and in supporting the early warning system, as well as the immediate and future air quality modeling. Data will also be presented and published in the form of environmental indicators to the public.
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