Doha, Qatar

Doha is the capital, economic and financial center of Qatar, and has attracted a large number of international enterprises and financial institutions. Doha's desert climate and geographical location in the Arabian Gulf provide the city with unique natural resources and recreation opportunities. Doha's population and economy have grown rapidly, from about 300,000 residents in 2001 to 1.2 million, a third of the country's population. It has a unique population structure, with 74% being male residents; and about 88% of the population being non-Qatari citizens, with multicultural characteristics.

Doha's Sustainable Development Strategy is based on the Qatar National Vision 2030, which guides the future growth of cities through policy frameworks such as Qatar's National Master Plan (QNMP). The QNMP aligns with the SDGs and NUA, focusing on sustainability pillars: Human, Social, Economic, and Environmental Development.

The strategy takes a range of actions, including 60 policies and 211 policy actions, and addresses the challenges facing cities, such as climate change, housing shortages, insufficient open space and traffic congestion. The strategy also includes measures such as urban growth boundaries and green belts to curb urban sprawl.

Doha implements Doha's National Open Space and Recreational Facilities Strategy (2020-2024) to provide high quality open space and recreational facilities, increase the diversity of outdoor recreational activities, encourage biodiversity recovery and community cohesion, and promote the quality of life and well-being in Doha.

Doha adopted an integrated health policy, which focuses on four areas of work: a strong governance structure; community engagement and empowerment; behavioral change interventions; and enhanced monitoring and evaluation that emphasize community engagement, partnerships, and cross-sectoral integration of health policies. In 2022, it won the honor of World Health Organization Healthy City in recognition of its commitment to health, equity and sustainability.

The Doha Municipal Spatial Development Plan (2018-2032) is a comprehensive program that emphasizes zoning regulations for environmental preservation and efficient land use. Regular reviews every five years ensure responsiveness to changing community needs and environmental concerns and to achieve the orderly planning and development of land and infrastructure in Doha.

Doha has improved infrastructure, the world's longest bike path and walking and cycling paths to improve the convenience of sustainable travel. Also, its local food production and storage capacity increases the food self-sufficiency rate, and reduced the dependence on imported food.

Qatar has the largest number of green certified buildings in the world and adopts multiple policies to promote green building and sustainable development.

Qatar also established the world's first smart and sustainable urban area, achieving resource conservation and carbon emission reduction through green building and energy-saving technologies. Qatar has conducted capacity building at different levels, providing training for government departments, developers, residents and professionals in the fields of urban planning and construction.

Doha’s funding relies on the annual overall national budget set by the Ministry of Finance. The investment is mainly used in healthcare, education and critical infrastructure projects. Its budget prioritizes economic diversification, attracting foreign investment and enhancing economic resilience.

Qatar integrates SDGs into the national strategy of ‘Qatar Vision 2030’, through the Qatar Green Building Council, the Qatar Foundation and the University of Hamad bin Khalifa cooperate to provide courses in sustainable development and urban planning.