Qatar's Climate Governance Policies and Energy Transition: Practices and Implications

Abstract

Qatar as part of the Middle East is characterized by tropical desert conditions; including high temperature, severe drought, low rainfall, limited water resources, and significant land degradation. This region, with the world's largest oil reserves, has faced resource disputes and environmental degradation due to large-scale industrialisation and oil exploitation for economic development. This study examines the effectiveness of the Qatari government 3strategies for sustainable development to reduce the effects of climate change. The case study method was used to measure the challenges and outcomes of Qatar's climate governance objectives through the emission reduction contribution of the AI Kharsaah renewable energy station and the scheduled achievements of Qatar'& National Strategy 2030 targets. Although there is practice in building up renewable energy stations. Carbon emissions suggest that a significant gap remains between promise and practice. Therefore, it is imperative for Qatar to continuously adapt its national strategy for sustainable development, promoting energy transformation and gradually transitioning its economic model away from fossil fuel exports through bilateral co-operation. Additionally, accelerating the implementation of carbon capture and Storage (CCS) technologies, alongside improving the efficiency of fugitive CO2 recovery, will be crucial in addressing these changes.