News

Qatar’s Biodiversity Database Platform Set For 2024 Launch

The project, in collaboration with UNEP, aims to preserve local species and gather valuable environmental data.

Published

11 months ago

February 6, 2024

Nour Nasir

qatar's biodiversity database platform set for 2024 launch

Qatar Ministry Of Municipality

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) has reached the final phase of a project to create Qatar’s biodiversity database platform.

The primary objective of this endeavor is to construct a sustainable biodiversity database and generate ecological maps of Qatar to pinpoint significant biodiversity sites across the nation. The project will establish a large electronic repository encompassing biodiversity-related and environmental data, cataloging all indigenous plant and animal species in the country in alignment with the Qatar Digital Government Strategy 2023-2025.

The scheduled launch for the database is set for later this year. Experts have already examined the project’s completed phases and unveiled the electronic platform’s initial design, which conforms to international standards.

With the project nearing completion, MoECC recently organized a series of meetings and coordination sessions over a three-day period, which dealt with the final stages of completing the project.

During a workshop held on January 30, a team from the World Conservation Monitoring Center delivered an in-depth presentation on the electronic platform, demonstrating the cutting-edge technology in its design. The software will facilitate seamless user operations and provide advanced capabilities alongside an initial assessment to identify research user requirements and review the database.

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On January 31, another training workshop was conducted, in which the project team oversaw advanced technological training for MoECC’s technical team. The trained group of users will manage the content of the project’s knowledge management platform in collaboration with the ministry’s communication teams after the official project launch later this year.

Launched in 2021, the Qatar biodiversity database project’s overarching goal is to compile a database for preserving the nation’s biodiversity. This resource will also support the creation of reports related to biodiversity, monitoring efforts, and decision-making processes.

News

UAE Prepares To Launch Two Satellites: Thuraya-2 And MBZ-SAT

HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council yesterday.

Published

1 week ago

December 17, 2024

Nour Nasir

uae prepares to launch two satellites thuraya-2 and mbz-sat

HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council in Dubai on December 16, 2024. The session highlighted the UAE’s ambitious space plans and took stock of the sector’s economic progress.

The council emphasized the growing role of private companies in advancing space technologies, noting that their contributions are now equal to that of the public sector. Members also praised initiatives like the Space Economic Zones Programme, which are designed to fuel innovation and investment in the space industry.

خلال ترؤسنا الاجتماع الأول للمجلس الأعلى للفضاء، بحثنا الاستثمارات الوطنية والمشاريع المقبلة في قطاع الفضاء والذي يشهد تطوراً مستمراً… وجددنا التزامنا بدعم ومواصلة تنفيذ برامج طموحة لاستكشاف الفضاء الخارجي حيث وصل حجم الاستثمارات في هذا القطاع إلى 40 مليار درهم خلال السنوات… pic.twitter.com/etJ33OnuSu

— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) December 16, 2024

Discussing the UAE’s space journey, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum remarked, “The national space sector continues to grow and advance, and we take immense pride in the remarkable achievements we have accomplished over the years”.

Sheikh Hamdan also received updates on two upcoming satellite projects: Thuraya-2 and MBZ-SAT. Thuraya-2, developed by Space42, is slated for launch this December. Meanwhile, the MBZ-SAT, created by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), will soon follow. MBRSC, a major driver of the UAE National Space Programme, continues to lead the nation’s space-related developments.

Space42 took the opportunity to showcase its advancements, including ongoing collaborations between public and private entities. The company also outlined strategies to promote innovation, boost revenue streams, and create new opportunities for growth in the sector.

Also Read: IBM Opens New Doha Office To Support Qatar’s Digital Growth

The UAE’s current projects build on a growing legacy of space exploration. Back in 2020, the nation made headlines with its Mars mission, successfully sending a probe into the planet’s orbit in 2021. This mission, which is now in its second phase as of June 2024, has been collecting critical data to develop a comprehensive diurnal image of Mars.

The UAE also ventured into lunar exploration with an unmanned mission aimed at studying untouched regions of the Moon’s surface. While the probe ultimately crashed during its landing attempt after communication was lost seconds before touchdown, the effort represented a significant step in the country’s exploration ambitions.