Qatar national climate change vulnerability and impact assessment
Delivery of a national climate change vulnerability and impact assessment for Qatar that aims to identify and address medium and long-term adaptation priorities in response to climate change.
Challenge
Qatar has implemented a number of activities to plan for the effects of climate change. The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change have developed a National Environment and Climate Change Strategy, as well as a National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP). The NCCAP includes a roadmap through which Qatar fulfils its international commitments to adapt to the impacts of climate change, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
To further enhance Qatar’s adaptation planning, as part of a collaborative programme between the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), Ricardo were commissioned to deliver a national climate change vulnerability and impact assessment for Qatar. The assessment aimed to enhance Qatar's National Adaptation Planning (NAP) process by identifying and addressing medium and long-term adaptation priorities in response to climate change.
Approach
The assessment involved the identification of the direct and indirect impacts of climate change on 6 key socio-economic sectors (agriculture and livestock, public health, infrastructure, waste, biodiversity, energy, and water). For each sector, the economic, environmental, and social dimensions of climate vulnerability and its impacts were explored. These include the impacts of rising air temperatures, sea-level rise, and other key physical climate-related hazards, on the activities and assets of the 6 sectors. The project also entailed the identification of adaptation actions to address these climate impacts.
The assessment was made based on desk-research in combination with stakeholder engagement. For the latter, Ricardo led a two-day workshop with governmental entities and local partners to engage key national stakeholders. The preliminary findings of the assessment were presented at the workshop, and the participating experts were invited to validate the findings and prioritise the identified climate vulnerabilities and impacts. The most significant impacts of climate change in the State of Qatar were then mapped, including the most affected sectors, and the assets within those sectors. Stakeholders then discussed and identified potential adaptation measures to address the priority climate impacts for all 6 sectors.
Results
Following the workshop, Ricardo refined the vulnerability and impact assessment outputs to suit the reporting needs of the project. This included details on the adaptation measures to address the priority climate impacts. The assessment will be used as an evidence base and foundation to inform Qatar’s National Adaptation Plan.