Sulaiti heads Qatar delegation to UN Global Sustainable Transport Forum
Work is under way to create 100 parking spaces for electric vehicles and install more than 600 charging stations
QATAR took part in the Second United Nations Global Sustainable Transport Conference. The conference, which is being hosted by Beijing, China, was inaugurated on Thursday virtually by President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping and UN SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres. The Qatari delegation was led by Minister of Transport and Communications HE Jassim Saif Ahmed Al-Sulaiti.
The minister also participated in the Plenary Ministerial Session, which was chaired by Chinese Minister of Transport HE Li Xiaopeng.
The event brings together several heads of state and governments, diplomats, representatives of international and civil society organizations, and chairs of businesses and organisations from the private sector to focus attention on the opportunities, challenges, and solutions for achieving global sustainable transportation.
The conference will address key transportation issues that support the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 and the Paris
Climate Agreement, as well as several topics relating to the impact of sustainable transportation on economic recovery, green development, regional development, innovation, city sustainability, poverty eradication, and the role of technology in transportation sector sustainability.
Qatar has made significant progress in developing environmentally friendly, sustainable transportation plans. In this regard, MOTC, in collaboration with other stakeholders, has begun implementing a strategy for a full and gradual transition to electric buses, with the goal of electrifying public transit buses by 2030.
The first phase of the transformation plan, which includes establishing stations and warehouses for electric buses, is currently under construction and is expected to be completed by 2022. As part of the first phase, work is also being done to create 100 parking spaces for electric vehicles and to install more than 600 charging stations. Furthermore, MOTC, in collaboration with the relevant bodies, has begun rolling out the EURO 5 diesel regulation for cars – a diesel with a lower environmental impact.
In terms of ports, the second phase of Hamad Port is powered by clean electric energy, helping Qatar achieve its National Vision 2030.