MECC prepares to launch phase two of Coral Reef Protection and Restoration Programme

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC) yesterday held a joint coordination meeting with the Ministry of Defence, represent...

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC) yesterday held a joint coordination meeting with the Ministry of Defence, represented by the Environmental Directorate, in preparation for the launch of the second phase of the Coral Reef Protection and Restoration Program in Qatar.

The meeting was chaired by Assistant Undersecretary for Protection and Natural Reserves Affairs at MECC Dr. Ibrahim Abdul Latif Al-Muslemani, and attended by representatives from the Ministry of Defence, including the Environmental Directorate, Naval Forces, and Joint Special Naval Forces. Discussions focused on the technical and organizational aspects related to the implementation of the program’s second phase.

This meeting comes as part of ongoing national efforts to enhance the sustainability of marine ecosystems and in alignment with the Third National Development Strategy (2024–2030), which aims to restore 30% of degraded habitats in line with Qatar National Vision 2030. It also falls within the Ministry’s broader programs to protect the marine environment and biodiversity.

The meeting aimed to coordinate efforts among the relevant parties to establish an effective implementation mechanism that ensures the success of the program’s upcoming phase. This initiative is considered one of the region’s leading environmental projects dedicated to protecting and restoring coral reefs, which are vital to Qatar’s marine biodiversity and ecosystems. The main objectives of Phase Two of the Coral Reef Protection and Restoration Program in Qatar include cleaning Fasht (reef) areas from sea urchins and relocating coral from healthy donor sites to areas with low coral coverage. It also involves the monitoring and maintenance of relocated coral using scientific methods to ensure their stability in new locations.

Additionally, this phase aims to enhance coral coverage and biodiversity in impacted sites by increasing growth rates by three to five times.