COAST OF QATAR

The coast of Qatar has undergone a remarkable transformation due to the economic development that this country has experienced in the last decade. But this rapid urban development and the myriad new activities taking place on the coast of Qatar threaten biodiversity, marine ecosystems, natural resources, cultural heritage and coastal ethnographic values, and even place properties, industries and the economic activity of certain productive sectors at risk.

Most of Qatar’s infrastructures and mega-projects (ports, airports, artificial islands, tourist complexes, etc.) are being developed on the coast. This has led to a series of conflicts that have highlighted the need for a new coastal governance model that is based on coordination among agencies and on greater participation by the various actors involved in coastal activities. As a result, the State of Qatar has adopted a management model called “Integrated Coastal Zone Management” (ICZM) as a means to overcome the challenges facing the Qatari coast and maintain economic development while guaranteeing the principles of sustainable development and preserving coastal resources.
To this end, the State of Qatar commissioned IHCantabria to develop the ICZM for its coast, a project the Institute carried out in partnership with the Kuwaiti environmental company WES. The project began in June 2013 and lasted for two years in an effort to ensure that the needs and goals of every stakeholder and agency were properly accounted for.