Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) signed a cooperation programme with ExxonMobil Research Qatar Ltd to study biodiversity and prepare seabed maps in the northwestern areas of the State of Qatar, as part of the memorandum of understanding signed between the two sides in 2023.
In the presence of Minister of Environment and Climate Change H E Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie, the programme was signed on behalf of the MoECC by Assistant Undersecretary for Protection and Natural Reserves Affairs Dr. Ibrahim Abdul Latif Al Maslamani, and on behalf of ExxonMobil Research Qatar Ltd by Director of Research and Vice President Dr. Easa Al Musleh.
The cooperation aims to study and classify marine biodiversity in the northwestern areas of the State of Qatar using environmental DNA technology, and to prepare accurate seabed maps, in support of efforts to protect marine ecosystems and employ modern technologies in monitoring and studying environmentally significant areas in the country.
The program includes conducting field surveys, collecting environmental samples, using remote sensing techniques and high-resolution satellite imagery, benefiting from bathymetric data using LiDAR technology, in addition to conducting a temporal analysis of environmental changes in the region.
MoECC, represented by the Department of Environmental Monitoring and Inspection, is also cooperating in conducting a preliminary environmental survey prior to the start of the project, to assess seawater quality and seabed sediment quality, with the results of this survey to be used as a baseline for the project.
In this context, Dr. Ibrahim Abdul Latif Al Maslamani confirmed that the cooperation program with ExxonMobil Research Qatar Ltd. comes within the framework of the Ministry’s efforts to protect marine ecosystems and support specialized scientific studies that contribute to understanding the components of biodiversity in marine environments in the State of Qatar.
For his part, Director of Research and Vice President of ExxonMobil Research Qatar Ltd. Dr. Easa Al Musleh confirmed that the program reflects the ongoing cooperation with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change in the field of environmental studies and scientific research, noting the company’s keenness to employ modern technologies and research expertise to support national efforts in marine environmental protection.
In a related context, MoECC and the ExxonMobil Research Center Qatar announced the completion and delivery of a research project on mangrove trees in the State of Qatar, which resulted in identifying several suitable coastal sites for their cultivation, as part of the memorandum of understanding signed between the two sides in 2023.
