Towards sustainable energy, water and food security in Qatar under climate change and anthropogenic stresses

Abstract

Qatar is a hyper-arid peninsula with minimal water resources and high energy and food per-capita consumption. Over the last two decades, the country's population has risen fivefold and energy, water and food consumption have reached unprecedented rates. The Qatar National Vision 2030 (QNV2030) aimed to ensure national food security, which leads to rapid expansion in agriculture and exerts more pressure on energy and water resources. These factors motivated us to revisit the energy, water, and food (EWF) nexus in light of climate change and human needs challenges. Our analysis showed that current legislation had overlooked climate change and anthropogenic impacts, making the country experience growing depletion of water resources. Undeniably, there is a dire need for a system securing energy, water, and food in Qatar. Still, this system should be resilient and sustainable, considering external inevitable forces (climate change and anthropogenic stresses) that may directly or indirectly impact the EWF nexus. This study recommends clearing the uncertainty in population projections, approving agricultural activities with low energy consumption, and considering alternative water resources to face climate change and anthropogenic impacts.