Dr. Shaher Zakaria
With the challenges facing the world today, sustainable development has become a vital part of a country’s social development and economic prosperity. Urbanization, industrialization, and globalization coupled with a rapidly increasing global population have all led to putting a tremendous amount of strain on the world’s natural resources. Sustainable development tries to achieve a reasonable balance between today’s economic, social, and environmental progress without thwarting future generational needs.
Qatar’s National Vision 2030 (QNV 2030) aims to achieve just that. The vision is a master plan and roadmap towards making Qatar an advanced society that is ready to compete in the 21st century; environmentally, economically, and socially, while providing high standard of living levels to its citizens. This robust vision seeks to provide the private sector as well as individuals with guidelines and a sense of direction. Furthermore, it aims to assist government-led strategies, policies, and allocation of funds towards a united goal. Finally, the vision identifies long-term plans for the country by providing a framework to which national strategies can be developed and implemented.
Qatar’s National Vision 2030 address five key challenges facing the country. Firstly, balancing modernization while preserving customs and traditions. Secondly, meeting the societal and economical needs of today without compromising future generational needs. Thirdly, managing economic growth and uncontrolled expansion. Fourthly, preserving a selected path of development and equilibrium between Qataris and the expatriate labor force. Finally, engaging in good environmental management, economic growth, and social development.
The State of Qatar aspires to face these challenges and achieve these goals through four pillars: human development, social development, economic development, and environmental development. When it comes to human development, Qatar has made immense improvements and will continue to make advances in a knowledge-based education as well as developing a world class health care system. Ultimately, a knowledge-based education will yield a knowledge-based economy.
The social development pillar reflects making social changes to advance Qatar’s society and to keep up with the demands of the future. This will also require preserving Qatar’s heritage and traditions. Today, Qatar is promoting tolerance and openness while also making substantial attempts to empowering woman in all aspects of life. The issue of woman empowerment is one of the top priorities of the state of Qatar.
This is based on its staunch belief of the importance of woman participation in the labor force and providing equal opportunity of employment, human rights, care, and education. Qatar has enriched woman participation in the country’s sustainable development efforts to go along with Qatar National Vision 2030. All of this has made it the leading country in the region in gender equality indicators, including the highest rate in female enrollment in universities. I know this firsthand as a university professor, and it bring me nothing but joy to be teaching the future women leaders of Qatar.
Economically, Qatar is finding a balance between its hydrocarbon resources while making significant strides in diversifying its economy in non-energy sectors. When it comes to Qatar’s carbon footprint, it is greatly contributing to the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) by supplying the globe with Liquified Natural Gas. Furthermore, in 2018 Qatar began to heavily focus on increasing its agricultural production through modernizing its agricultural equipment, technology, techniques, and systems. This in turn resulted in producing efficient farming methods which led to an increase in productivity.
Additionally, the Qatari government launched many programs to promote agricultural development and education that aims to increase local agricultural output and achieve self-sufficiency. What will be evident in the future is that countries who will be self-sufficient in the energy and agricultural sectors will lead the globe and have a great say in its affairs. These countries will not immensely feel the impact of any economic shocks caused by a major global affair such as the current Russian-Ukrainian war.
Finally, environmentally, Qatar is remarkably emphasizing the importance of greenery and the environment with its Expo 2023 Doha currently held under the theme “Green Desert, Better Environment” which aims to encourage sustainable innovations and fight desertification. Moreover, Qatar has acknowledged the importance of finding an evenness between economic growth while at the same time protecting the environment.
Qatar continues to work with regional players as well as the international community to protect the environment through government environmental assessments and legislation. This remarkable integrated process and progress has resulted in Qatar being ranked 32nd in the 2015 Human Development Report.
