Human sustainability

Rapid economic and demographic growth, anthropogenic drivers as well as climate related drivers are increasing pressures on naturally scarce water and land resources in the Arabian Gulf countries. The abundancy of fossil fuel reserves together with the integration in the global trade and technology-based economy are compensating for water and land shortages, allowing for food and technology imports, maintaining state-of-the-art infrastructure and influencing the inflow of expatriate workforces. However, the ecological footprints in consumption and the energy intensities in production are high in the region. The future regional governance and technological challenge lies in reducing the overall ecological footprint while improving human development, life quality and capacities of local populations. The State of Qatar has thus embarked on an ambitious National Vision for 2030 focusing on economic transformation, building capacities through human and social development and protecting important environmental resources.

The Human Sustainability Program aims at establishing excellent, collaborative research endeavors in order to analyze the drivers, governance challenges and solutions related to natural resources use and economic transformation. The research areas of the program include the following topics

• Sustainability transition, economic diversification and decarbonization

• Ecological innovations and the role of technological change

• Economic reforms and incentives for efficient resource allocation

• Policy integration and planning for the water-energy-food Nexus

• Consumption patterns, awareness and public engagement