The Arab Youth Climate Movement Qatar (AYCMQA) has taken over as Qatar's Green Key management at the national level.
© AYCMQA
Arab Youth Climate Movement Qatar is an independent, non-profit, think-and-do-tank for environmental awareness & advocacy, research, and policy analysis. Since its founding in 2015, Arab Youth Climate Movement Qatar (AYCMQA) has been dedicated to improving environmental policy, developing grassroots awareness and capacity building at the community level in Qatar.
Abdulrahman Almuftah, Board of Director of AYCMQA explains that:
“Taking over Green Key initiative in Qatar was part of AYCMQA’s long term sustainability strategy in Qatar. As reported in IPCC, a sustainable transition in land, energy, buildings, transport and cities is needed to meet global carbon reduction goals. Buildings, like those that are Green Key certified, are a global solution for cities, communities, and neighborhoods.”
Martin Baeuerle, the new Green Key National Operator with many years of experience in hotel operation and sustainability consultancy says:
“I have been involved with Green Key for over 12 years, first from the hotel side, in getting the property certified, then from the side of being a Green Key auditor side and now I am happy to be the Green Key National Operator for Qatar and continue making a positive impact.”
Martin Baeuerle is a qualified hotel management specialist and holds a professional certificate in Sustainable Tourism. In the past, he has been speaker, panellist and moderator at important conferences such as Qatar Hospitality Summit, Project Qatar, Hospitality Qatar, Hospitality Innovation Summit and Construction Week. He served as a judge for the Hotelier Middle East Awards for a number of years as well as the Qatar Sustainability Awards. He also served as the lead auditor for Green Key in Qatar for many years.
In 2011, Qatar launched the National Vision 2030 to guide its plans for sustainable long-term development and environmental diversification. In pursuit of this vision, tourism has been designated a priority sector by the country’s leaders as it provides Qatar with the opportunity to find sustainable economic growth, while perpetuating and celebrating the nation’s cultural and natural gems (UNWTO, 2017).
One of the four pillars of the National Vision 2023 is Environmental Development. The environmental criteria of Green Key align with nation’s star classification. Obtaining an international ecolabel, such as Green Key, supports the hotels in their classification process and in contributing to the wider strategy of the country.
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Finn Bolding Thomsen, Green Key International Director, adds:
“We are happy to have AYCMQA as our new National Operator in Qatar to continue the work with Green Key in Qatar, and we encourage any hotel or other tourism facilities eligible for Green Key in Qatar to apply or contact AYCM for more information about the programme.”