QRDI Council and MoECC sign co-operation agreement

The pact solidifies efforts to leverage innovation as a means to further protect Qatar’s environment

 

 

The Qatar Research, Development and Innovation (QRDI) Council and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) recently signed a co-operation agreement solidifying the two parties’ efforts to leverage innovation as a means to further protect Qatar’s environment and enhance the sustainability of its resources – goals that are among the priorities of the Qatar National Strategy for Environment and Climate Change and the QRDI 2030 Strategy. The co-operation programme was signed at the MoECC headquarters by Aisha Ahmed al-Baker, director of Planning and Quality Department at the ministry, and Nada al-Olaqi, director of Research, Development and Innovation Programmes at the QRDI Council. The signing ceremony was also attended by HE Sheikh Dr Faleh bin Nasser al-Thani, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, and Omar Ali al-Ansari, Secretary-General of the QRDI Council. Al-Olaqi said, “At the QRDI Council, we are working to promote a culture of innovation in the government sector to help achieve the sector's future goals and provide new opportunities to benefit from innovative solutions and advanced technology in various strategic areas. This contributes to building a sustainable future based on knowledge and innovation as one of the objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030. Effective co-operation with the concerned authorities in the priority areas identified by QRDI’s 2030 Strategy remains one of the most important factors necessary to achieve the desired goals of this strategy. Co-operation with the MoECC is therefore an important step toward strengthening the national innovation ecosystem and developing its ability to meet the ministry’s urgent needs and aspirations towards a more prosperous and sustainable future for the people of Qatar.” For her part, al-Baker said: “Through this agreement and our co-operation, we seek to work with the QRDI Council to benefit from advanced technology to provide innovative solutions that contribute to enhancing environmental sustainability and mitigating the effects of climate change. Climate change casts a shadow on the present and future of the whole world, and that is why facing these challenges has become one of the most important priorities for developed countries.” This agreement and subsequent collaboration are part of the implementation of the QRDI’s 2030 Strategy that works to develop the research, development, and innovation ecosystem to build a knowledge economy in Qatar. By diversifying the economy, Qatar could work towards sustainable economic growth, and enhance its ability to address pressing national challenges. For its part, the MoECC aims to protect the environment and its natural balance by reducing global warming, maintaining air quality, restoring biodiversity, conserving natural resources, and adapting to climate change. It benefits from this collaboration with QRDI Council as the agreement will help support the sustainability of the Qatari environment, address climate change, and protect the biological diversity of the natural habitats through the use of knowledge and advanced technology to achieve the objectives of the Qatar National Strategy for Environment and Climate Change. The co-operation programme covers several strategic issues and identifies opportunities for innovation. It further works to build partnerships between local companies and RDI research centres of international organisations in Qatar to support the development of technological solutions in priority areas. The agreement calls for the design and implementation of joint co-operation programmes in order to stimulate scientific research and obtain high-quality research outputs in areas related to the environment and climate change. In addition, it will organise training programmes, workshops and field visits to empower innovation teams and project managers in co-operation and partnership with the private sector. Under the co-operation programme, the MoECC will actively participate in the QRDI Portal, which the council launched in 2021 to serve as a comprehensive platform to build co-operation and partnerships among all parties concerned with research, development and innovation in Qatar. The ministry will benefit from the resources of this platform, contributing to strengthening co-ordination and co-operation among authorities across sectors.