Carbon Emissions Reduction Strategies for Qatar

Introduction  

Climate change is high on the agenda for most countries around the world. Efforts to limit the average global temperature increase to less than 1.5°C – an upper bound that scientists say would limit the most dire consequences of climate change – have so far faltered. Recent United Nations Climate Change Conferences have focused on exploring ways to substantially cut carbon emissions and scale up financing for emissions reductions.

Qatar has a role to play in both areas. Qatar has placed sustainable development and environmental concerns at the heart of its National Vision 2030. Indeed, the government has set an ambitious target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2030. Qatar has made progress in the past, especially considering the contribution of liquefied natural gas (LNG)— considered a transition fuel—to global emissions reductions. However, there are various other mitigation strategies for Qatar to consider that may bolster its contribution to the global fight against climate change.

As part of Qatar Sustainability Week 2024, the Middle East Council on Global Affairs and Earthna: Center for a Sustainable Future (Earthna) organized a workshop to explore viable policy alternatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that align with Qatar’s National Vision 2030, its socio-economic context, and its environmental imperatives. The workshop brought together a diverse group of scholars studying emissions reductions and decarbonization strategies in Qatar to discuss the policy implications of their research together with a group of government officials, practitioners, and experts in Qatar. One of the key outcomes of the workshop is this dossier, edited and published in collaboration with Earthna.

One of the outputs of the workshop is this dossier, Carbon Emissions Reduction Strategies for Qatar. The dossier distills the knowledge and research of the scholars who prepared presentations and discussions with the various experts on what Qatar can do to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to achieve its targets and continue to play a pivotal role in global emissions reduction efforts. Twelve chapters were prepared, which cover four broad topics: (1) LNG and Decarbonization; (2) Carbon Alternatives; (3) Strategic Pathways for Decarbonization; and (4) Carbon Markets.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Pathways to Decarbonization and Economic Diversification in Qatar by Marcello Contestabile, Carlos Mendez, Pankaj Kumar and Maroua Benlahrech

Chapter 2: LNG Giant and Solar Dreams: Qatar’s Next Energy Chapter by Justin Dargin

Chapter 3: Unleashing Ambition: the Role of Carbon Markets in the Paris Agreement Implications and Opportunities for Qatar by Alexandra Soezer

Chapter 4: Qatar’s Policy Outlook on Nuclear Energy’s Role in Decarbonization by S. Duygu Sever Mehmetoglu

Chapter 5: Qatar, Energy Exports and the Low Carbon Technology Debate by Dhabia M. Al-Mohannadi and Beverley Milton-Edwards

Chapter 6: Carbon Markets and Emission Reduction Strategies for Achieving Net Zero Emissions in the MENA Region by Neeshad Shafi

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The opinions expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Middle East Council on Global Affairs.