Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Municipality has unveiled a landmark initiative to adopt internationally recognised ISO standards for smart, sustainable and resilient cities for Doha Metropolis.
This strategic move reinforces Qatar’s leadership in designing integrated urban environments that align with global trends, improve quality of life, streamline services and support the ongoing shift toward human-centered and planet-friendly cities. The Ministry made the announcement on its X platform yesterday.
Doha Metropolis has been selected as the focus of the project due to its role as a unified urban hub that stretches from Lusail in the north to Al Wakra in the south, covering the core municipalities of Doha, Al Wakra, Al Rayyan, Umm Salal and Al Daayen. This metropolitan zone represents the socioeconomic engine of Qatar and reflects the nation’s dynamic growth and urban connectivity.
The project adopts ISO 37120 city data standards, developed by the International Organization for Standardization in cooperation with the World Council on City Data (WCCD). These standards are the first of their kind globally to introduce measurable and certified indicators for urban performance.
Doha is pursuing the highest certification level, the Platinum tier, which requires successful implementation of 90 to 104 indicators across 19 key dimensions such as environment, mobility, energy, economy, urban planning and emergency response.
By embracing these standards, Qatar aims to reinforce its alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, ensuring that national development progresses in harmony with global environmental and social priorities.
The project also strengthens the country’s capacity for national-level strategic and spatial planning by enabling decision-makers to rely on robust data and trusted performance metrics. This, in turn, will support long-term development strategies anchored in measurable reality.
Moreover, the initiative showcases Qatar’s presence and competitiveness on the international stage, positioning Doha as a leading example within the global smart cities network. It is expected to enhance economic growth by increasing investor confidence and opening new opportunities for sustainable investments. The integration of standardised data will improve the ability to monitor urban performance, identify areas for improvement and shape development plans that are future-ready.
Through learning from global best practices and applying continuous performance measurement, Qatar is building an adaptable, resilient and innovation-driven urban future.
With this initiative, Doha advances decisively toward becoming a benchmark for sustainable living, where technological progress supports community well-being and city life flourishes for generations to come.
