The world marked Earth Day recently under the theme ‘Invest In Our Planet’. Governments, various organisations, businesses, and individuals around the globe came together at several locations to demonstrate support for environmental protection. This annual event, first held on April 22, 1970, includes a wide range of events to remind us of the importance of taking care of the planet we live on. Our ecosystems need care on a regular basis and need many day-to-day actions for a sustainable future.
Qatar has been taking many positive steps towards creating a sustainable and eco-friendly future. These include the big push into renewable energy, promotion of electric vehicles, conservation of local fauna and flora, and promoting sustainable development goals as part of the Qatar National Vision 2030.
Authorities are doing their bit, but it comes down to each one of us to take responsibility for our planet and take affirmative actions through lifestyle choices and eco-friendly practices. This will have a ripple effect and nature thrives when given a chance. It is our duty to make the earth a better place for future generations. In the last few years, many countries have faced the devastating wrath of climate change in floods, snowstorms, and extreme heat waves. This shows that sustainability is the only path to prosperity for humanity.
Many businesses have also taken the lead and switched to greener and environment-friendly practices and are getting rewarded by conscious customers.
There are reports stating that more and more consumers prefer supporting businesses with good ethical and sustainability practices. This will force more and more corporations to adopt eco-friendly practices and climate-friendly investments.
“The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has set an ambitious strategy to achieve sustainable development which relies on clean energy, solar power and other renewable energy expanding electric transportation and limiting the use of environmental pollutants,” Minister of Environment and Climate Change H E Sheikh Faleh bin Nasser bin Ahmed bin Ali Al Thani said in a video to mark the Earth Day.
It was also mentioned in the video that the Ministry of Transport has targeted to switch 35 percent of its total vehicles and 100 percent of its public transport buses to electric by 2030. The Lusail Bus Depot had set a record in the Guinness World Records Book as the largest electric bus depot with a capacity of 478 buses.
Earth Day is over, but we shouldn’t get complacent. Civil society needs to learn and protect the local ecosystem for us to build a sustainable future.
