Qatar, a small peninsula in the gulf region, rich in natural and man made resources, has been developing and modernizing by the hour. To make sure that development remains uninterrupted, the nation has set a number of goals for itself, known as the Qatar National Vision 2030 which aims for social, economic and sustainable growth and development in the country. One of the most important pillars of growth apart from social and economic development mentioned in the National Vision is the emphasis on sustainability in the country. This is evident from taking steps towards using renewable energy for power generation, building environmentally friendly cities, setting up watchdog organisations to help manage the nation’s sustainable approaches and building infrastructure that has a minimal impact on the environment.
Moreover, as a center of fast-paced development, Qatar has been the oasis of a luxurious lifestyle. Luxury remains an important part of life for many in Qatar as it helps them establish a certain reputation and position in the society. This can include from driving expensive cars to fancy vacations. However these luxuries have often been known to come with an environmental cost. For instance, the diesel engine powered Land Cruiser which has often been a prominent status symbol has been ranked by Forbes as the fourth most environmentally ‘meanest’ vehicle. However, to maintain its status as the oasis of luxury alongside being able to achieve its sustainability goals, Qatar has been taking measures to make sure sustainability and luxury both go hand in hand. This can be prominently seen in the building of smart cities such as Msheirb Downtown and Lusail which have been designed to be earth friendly and to minimise environmental damage. Furthermore, this can be noticed in the use of hybrid buses and carbon efficient trams and metro trains in the public transportation system. The construction of football stadiums with recycled materials with its decontructibility has just been another feather in the nation’s cap for its efforts towards sustainable development.
Howere, despite the effort towards achieving sustainable growth, living a luxurious lifestyle remains at the heart of the culture in the Qatari nation. Expensive cars, excessive lightening on residential property, building of artificial islands, a VIP ‘gold class’ section in public transportation, unending construction for development and the heavy reliance on natural gas for power generation as well as economic development is always going to be essential for the Qatari culture and society as these are the luxuries that have helped Qatar create its image as the oasis of luxury in the deserts of the Middle East.
Thus, in the posts ahead this blog category will be exploring the relationship between sustainability and luxury in Qatar. It’ll try to explain if new standards of luxuries are being set with sustainable approaches towards development. It will be looking at the future prospects of luxury development without environmental damage. Moreover, how can the culture of luxurious lifestyles help minimize its environmental impact?
