Qatar participates in COP17's Ministerial Dialogue on the restoration of Rangelands

The State of Qatar, through its Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, took part in the Ministerial Dialogue on the Restoration of Rangelands and the Well-Being of Pastoral Communities during COP17 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Dr. Ibrahim Abdul Latif Al Maslamani, Assistant Undersecretary for Protection and Natural Reserves Affairs at MOECC, outlined Qatar's efforts to safeguard and restore rangelands and terrestrial ecosystems.

He emphasized the importance of the dialogue in 2026, the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, given the critical role rangelands play in biodiversity conservation, soil health, and ecosystem resilience. Qatar has implemented an integrated approach to protecting terrestrial ecosystems, having protected 76 natural areas and sites, encompassing 16.72 square kilometers, from 2019 to 2026.

The goal is to expand this initiative to 500 natural areas and sites by 2030. The state is also committed to planting 10 million trees by 2030 as part of the Green Middle East Initiative, already surpassing this target with over 4 million trees planted. Modern technologies, including geographic information systems, remote sensing, and drones, have been utilized to survey and document natural areas, establishing a comprehensive national spatial database.

Dr. Al Maslamani highlighted the adoption of a National Strategy to Combat Desertification (2025-2030) aimed at restoring at least 30 percent of degraded habitats and achieving land degradation neutrality. He called for international cooperation to make rangeland restoration a priority, recognizing the unique challenges faced by countries with arid and hyper-arid environments.