Ministry of Municipality & Environment
Overview
The Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) was established to promote environmental sustainability and to coordinate Qatar’s environmental initiatives. The Ministry works closely with officials in a number of government entities to develop responsible environmental policy and is spearheading efforts to expand official records and banks of environmental data of the State. MME also plays an increasing role in expanding efforts to improve preservation and it includes the following: recruiting scientists and technical specialists to oversee monitoring systems and regulation, establishing an emergency preparedness committee charged with responding to environmental disasters, launching a nationwide campaign to clean up Qatar’s beaches, coordinating and maintaining knowledge banks on environmental data, and creating and managing a comprehensive biodiversity database including protected areas and marine resources and environmental impact.
The Ministry has already partnered with many entities and corporations in order to meet its national goals. A notable example of this is its relationship with Qatar Petroleum whose sponsorship of research into sea turtles is regarded as an illustrative example of the role that industry can play in enhancing environmental sustainability. The MME has already established some facilities with the aim of reducing the amount of waste and protecting the environment. These concrete initiatives include: Halul Island, of which new facilities are in use at the heart of the major storage and export terminal for Qatar’s oil and gas industries. These facilities include an incinerator to destroy waste, sophisticated air pollution monitors, and a wastewater treatment plant. Such initiatives will reduce waste on the Island and protect the home of animals like gazelles and many migratory birds. They also include Mesaieed, which is one of Qatar’s major industrial cities and is becoming the hub for environmental initiatives. Mesaieed is home to the integrated domestic solid waste management center that came online in 2011 and handles treatment of garbage and sewage. The center is central to Qatar’s plans to dramatically increase recycling capacity. The city also hosts stations to monitor air and water pollution.