Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Releases Q2 Environmental Achievements Report

Qatar's Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has published its report on the achievements of the environmental sector during the second quarter of this year, setting out the technical and administrative work carried out to protect the country's environment.

The report points to a marked increase in regulatory, technical and organizational activity compared with the first quarter. Laboratory analyses more than doubled, climbing from 2,828 to 6,444, while permits and licenses rose from 3,376 to 5,729. Technical meetings increased from 603 to 1,039, and awareness events and activities jumped from 18 to 78.

Quarter-on-Quarter Highlights
 

Sector-Wide Activity

Across the environmental sector's departments, teams carried out 1,666 field and inspection visits, received 83 reports, issued 561 warnings to rectify conditions and recorded 29 violations during the quarter. They also produced 918 studies, reports and audits, ran 149 workshops and training courses, welcomed 1,125 visitors and conducted 2,882 customs inspections.

Environmental Monitoring and Inspection

The Environmental Monitoring and Inspection Department completed 610 field and inspection visits, up from 509 in the first quarter. It issued 143 permits and licenses, received 73 reports, gave 25 warnings to rectify conditions and logged 21 violations.

Laboratory work by the environmental sector reached 6,013 analyses, compared with 2,194 in the previous quarter. These included:

▪    735 analyses under the monthly seawater-quality monitoring programme
▪    3,273 analyses across programmes covering coastal areas, beaches, soil and water outfalls
▪    606 analyses tied to emergency reports on sewage, water, sediment, asphalt spills and soil
▪    1,399 analyses of emergency samples for water and sediment, bacteria, heavy metals and outfalls

The department also prepared 574 studies, reports and audits, held 158 technical meetings, delivered 75 workshops and training courses, took part in 44 awareness events and received 141 visitors.

Radiation Protection

The Radiation Protection Department carried out 223 field and inspection visits, up from 100 in the first quarter, alongside 246 visits to update its database of radiation devices. Permits and licenses issued by the department rose from 563 to 802.

It performed 542 customs inspections and cleared the same number of customs declarations, and conducted 404 laboratory analyses  51 to measure radiation concentrations in samples and 353 involving radiation measurements for individuals. Of 22 tests carried out for radiation-protection personnel, covering 91 workers, 86 passed successfully.

As part of its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Qatar is taking part in 11 national projects involving seven national entities. The department additionally prepared 23 studies, reports and audits and organized 55 workshops and training courses benefiting 800 participants from first-response teams. It held 37 technical meetings, joined six awareness events, responded to three reports, issued 12 directives for facilities to correct conditions, and received 95 visitors.