Qatar at the epicenter of global sustainability discussions for hot and arid environments
(Published in Sustainability Voices, April 10, 2023: https://sustainabilityvoices.co.uk/qatar-at-the-epicenter-of-global-sustainability-discussions-for-hot-and-arid-environments/) Countries in hot and arid environments such as those in the Gulf Cooperation Council or the MENA region face unique sustainability challenges. On the one hand, due to climate change, these countries will become even hotter and drier, placing additional pressures on their people, environments, and economies. On the other, these countries are often major exporters of hydrocarbons, which make them critical actors in the energy transition necessary to mitigate climate change. Yet, the bulk of global sustainability discussions have focused on tropical and temperate regions, almost assuming that all countries have vast forests and abundant water. These frameworks have little applicability to hot and arid countries such as Qatar. Fortunately, this is starting to change, and the recent Earthna Summit...