Doha: The Center for Sustainable Development at Qatar University (QU) organised a virtual workshop on Food-Energy-WaterWaste (FEWW) Nexus, bringing researchers and local stakeholders together to discuss the pressing issues.
The event highlighted the achievements that the State of Qatar is witnessing in the field of economic and developmental growth, which requires attracting skilled workers in various fields. regarding the sustainable use of natural resources in Qatar.
The event provided a platform to showcase current best practices in food security, waste management, and sustainable use of energy and water across local industries, and technological advances which could be implemented to improve the foodenergy-water-waste nexus for sustainable development of Qatar.
Stakeholders from government, industry, and academia, including the Ministry of Environment and Municipality (MME), Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), Qatar Fertiliser Company (QAFCO), Baladna, and Suez, all participated in the event.
While opening the event, Prof Ibrahim Al Kaabi, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said, “Food security, water conservation, renewable energies, and waste management are among the most important factors that must be addressed for integrated and sustainable management of resources. The study of the interconnectedness between them leads to increase the efficiency of their use.”
By bringing together these different parties, the Center for Sustainable Development aims to promote collaboration and joint research to progress sustainable development in the State of Qatar.
Prof. Ahmad Ayesh, Acting Director of the Center for Sustainable Development, said, “We were very happy to see the different parties collaborating through this event. We have already started some new initiatives based on the workshop’s outcomes, which will foster more dialogue and collaboration to address the Food-Energy-Water-Waste Nexus in Qatar sustainably.” This sentiment was also shared by the participants.
One of the opening speakers, Mark Velders, Technical Lead at the Qatar National Food Security Program, said, “Building sustainable food solutions for Qatar was an ambition we all shared in this workshop. It was an exciting and inspiring experience.”
