Qatar's Built and Natural Environments in Harmony: A Sustainable Mix of Architectural Heritage and Resource Conservation?

Higazy, N.; Phillips, M.; Sarhan, K., and Saleh, A., 2024. Qatar's built and natural environments in harmony: A sustainable mix of architectural heritage and resource conservation? In: Phillips, M.R.; Al-Naemi, S., and Duarte, C.M. (eds.), Coastlines under Global Change: Proceedings from the International Coastal Symposium (ICS) 2024 (Doha, Qatar). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 113, pp. 574-578. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208. Qatar's rapid expansion, particularly along its coastlines, has significantly transformed its built environment. Driven by economic growth, urbanization, and high-profile development projects, Qatar's coastal zones have been reshaped. However, its unique coastal environment, which plays an important cultural role and supports a diverse range of ecologically significant ecosystems such as coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrasses, has been affected by the fast-paced expansion and lack of comprehensive national regulations for coastal development prior to the 2010s. Qatar acknowledged the unsustainability of fast-paced development and implemented policy measures that mandated the creation of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) and Interim Coastal Development Guidelines (ICDG), as part of the Qatar National Development Framework (QNDP) and linked to the Qatar National Vision 2030 (QNV 2030). This work examines the evolution of Qatar's coastline before and after ICDG implementation and highlights key developments such as the Pearl, Lusail City and Hamad Port. It highlights how Qatar harmonized the built and natural environments, balancing urban growth with environmental conservation. It emphasizes the importance of incorporating robust and comprehensive environmental and heritage mapping into national planning, to ensure long-term sustainability.