The rise in pollution in Doha is the focus of the fourth in a five-part series we are producing this week based on data from the 2011 Sustainable Development Indicators report. The report was released earlier this month by the Qatar Statistics Authority and contains various social, economic and environmental indicators. We’ll bring you some of the most interesting findings.

Part 1: Crime | Part 2: Mobile phone usage | Part 3: Gender pay gap 

The number of air pollutants in Qatar’s capital has increased significantly between 2007 and 2011, the 2011 Sustainable Development Indicators report has found.

Sand and dust created by the manufacturing industry and the soaring number of construction projects here have all contributed to the rise, the report states.

Transportation also plays a role, with the number of cars on the road more than doubling from 287,500 vehicles in 2000 to 656,686 in 2010.

Specifically, ozone-depleting substances have jumped 27 percent annually, nitrogen oxides 9.3 percent, and sulfur dioxide 3.6 percent, figures that are expected to rise as more cars crowd Qatar’s roads and construction projects increase, the report states.

To tackle the problem, the report recommends the development of strict guidelines “to manage discharge of greenhouses gases and air pollution, where all sects of the society should participate, including the private sector.”

Read the full report here:

Thoughts?

Credit: Photo by Karen Blumberg