Qatar Foundation launches Earthna Centre for a Sustainable Future

“Earthna is focused on developing tools, solutions, and policies to improve people’s lives within a thriving natural environment,” said Gonzalo Castro de la Mata, the Executive Director of Earthna Centre. 

The Earthna Centre for a Sustainable Future was launched by Qatar Foundation at the annual Doha Forum summit.

Earthna is a play on words, combining both English and Arabic, which means ‘our earth.’

The announcement came during a high-level panel discussion in the 20th edition of Doha Forum, which explored ways of making cities the focus for sustainable global solutions for both nature and the climate.

The non-profit policy centre’s mission is to support sustainability through the advocation for evidence-based policy action on a global level. It also aims to encourage behavioural change within the community, as well as positioning Qatar as a leading voice for environmental issues in dry and water-scarce climates.

Earthna will convene a diverse community of experts, governments, policy and decision makers, businesses, multilateral institutions, and civil society, with the goal of creating a more sustainable future.

Topics like the circular economy, sustainable energy, resource security, and environmental protection will be at the heart of its work.

The establishment of the centre is in line with Qatar Foundation’s dedication to thought leadership in policymaking, whether its in its establishment or promotion. It will also be an extension of Qatar Foundation’s network of domestic and international collaborations.

The implementation of policy by government agencies requires them to have another party that helps them formulate and plan it. This is where Earthna’s role will come into play.

Qatar Foundation’s global campus, Education City, will be used as a test bed for any new technologies and sustainable implementations.

“Earthna is a centre specialised in sustainability, environmental preservation and studying the effects of climate change locally, regionally and globally, especially, in light of the major challenges countries all over the world are facing, which are reflected and exacerbated by climate change,” said Meshal Al-Shamari, Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives and Stakeholder Engagement at Earthna.

This centre is a part of Qatar Foundation’s continuous support to the country in its journey to achieving the 2030 national vision.

Qatar being one of the largest LNG exporters in the world has a significant effect on the country’s carbon footprint. However, it is worth noting, that emissions from gas are between 20% to 50% less than those of other fossil fuels.

(Source: Doha News)