A new open-access landmark collection on environmental policy in the Gulf region and beyond, titled Sustainable Qatar - Social, Political and Environmental Perspectives, traces Qatar’s sustainability journey in its broad political, environmental, and human dimensions. Published by Springer Singapore, the book was researched and edited by Dr. Logan Cochrane, Associate Professor at the College of Public Policy (CPP), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), and Reem Al-Hababi, PhD student in the Gulf Studies Program at Qatar University, and an alumna of the Master of Public Policy program at CPP, who both contribute several chapters. 

Sustainable Qatar provides a topical overview of the unique conditions, significant sustainability issues, and policy challenges for Qatar. With a foreword by His Excellency Faleh bin Nasser Al Thani, Qatar’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the book brings together diverse perspectives from 39 authors, including international and Qatar-based experts, academics, scientists, policy experts, and practitioners working on sustainability issues. Bringing to the fore HBKU’s unique interdisciplinarity, the book features insights from across the university’s colleges and Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI). 

From the College of Law, Dr. Damilola S. Olawuyi (SAN), Professor and UNESCO Chairholder on Environmental Law and Sustainable Development, and Elena I. Athwal, Research Fellow, evaluate Qatar’s law and governance innovations and future directions.

From the College of Islamic Studies (CIS), Dr. Evren Tok, Associate Professor and Assistant Dean for Innovation and Community Development, and Dr. S. Dugyu Sever Mehmetoglu, Post-Doc, analyze Qatar’s national policy on integrating sustainable development into the education system. 

Dr. Steven Wright, Associate Professor of International Relations and Associate Dean for Student Affairs, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, contextualizes the global transition to renewables and carbon neutrality and its relevance for Qatar’s future sustainability.

Two chapters by QEERI experts offer a wealth of perspectives. Dr. Jenny Lawler, Senior Research Director, the Water Center; Annamaria Mazzoni, Research Associate; and Sa’d Shannak, Scientist, discuss drivers for efficiency improvements in Qatar’s water sector. Dr. Marcello Contestabile, Principal Economist, illustrates the energy systems model QEERI is developing.

The concluding chapter by Dr. Cochrane, Al-Hababi, and Dr. Leslie A. Pal, Dean of CPP, brings together diverse recommendations and pathways for a sustainable future.

The book highlights the commitment to research and sustainability in Qatar. Contributing authors are affiliated to the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, Texas A&M at Qatar, Qatar University, Qatar Foundation (QF) - with a chapter discussing QF’s unique role as a sustainability innovator, as well as the Supreme Committee on Delivery and Legacy (SC) - with a chapter discussing the FIFA World Cup 2022 as a catalyst for environmental sustainability. 

Exploring areas such as the climate change risks facing coastal cities in the region and a potential new lens for promoting sustainable urbanism, several chapters are collaborative. They include contributions from experts at the Alliance of Biodiversity and International Center for Tropical Agriculture, Kenya; University College London; Duke Kunshan University, China; the University of Ottawa; and University of London (SOAS). Given the book’s broad contextual relevance to arid climates worldwide, Dr. Cochrane and several authors presented insights from their respective chapters to a global audience during COP27 in Egypt.

Dr. Cochrane said: “Qatar National Vision recognizes the need for social, economic, human, and environmental development that is balanced and holistic. Taking this imperative as a starting point, the book’s premise is that the transition to a sustainable Qatar requires engagement within and across these diverse areas. Our contributors integrate these interconnected issues and offer insights on policy options that can drive positive synergies across sectors and these four dimensions. This broad approach and the many diverse perspectives are among the book’s key contributions.”

Part of the Springer Nature Gulf Studies Book Series, Sustainable Qatar - Social, Political and Environmental Perspectives is freely available at https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-19-7398-7

For more information on the programs and research at the College of Public Policy, please visit cpp.hbku.edu.qa