Qatar targets 25% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 under climate plan

General view of business district in Doha, Qatar, September 3, 2021.

Qatar launched a national climate change action plan on Thursday aimed at achieving a 25% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, its ministry of environment and climate change said.

The plan also envisioned reducing "carbon intensity" of its liquefied natural gas facilities by 25% by the same year.

Qatar's move follows other Gulf Arab states, including Saudi Arabia which announced net-zero emission target by 2060 ahead of the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow next week.

Qatar is the world’s largest producer of liquefied natural gas and aims to expand LNG production to 127 million tonnes annually by 2027.

It says its gas production helps combat climate change globally because it can help the world shift from high-polluting fuels like oil and coal to renewable energies.

The plan pledged to intensify efforts at carbon capture and storage at its gas production facilities.

Source: Reuters / Reporting by Andrew Mills; writing by Shakeel Ahmad; Editing by Sam Holmes and Mike Harrison