Climate Change and Coastal Development in Qatar Towards a Holistic Approach for Developing Sustainable Waterfronts and Coastal Cities

Abstract

The coast is one of the most complex systems on earth as it is the result of the continuous interaction between people, land, and water. These physical processes shape the geomorphology of the coast, which sustains specific ecosystems that provide crucial services to human societies to flourish. This paper aims at expanding the understanding on the functioning of the waterfronts, which are crucial factor to increase the awareness regarding the challenges of developing and governing coastal areas and waterfronts. Evidently, climate change represents the major human-induced source of natural risks. Understanding the risks associated to the coast is crucial to provide safe and resilient human environment. Planners must address the challenges of waterfronts and coastal areas’ planning approaches. Coastal cities are facing the challenge not only by providing high quality services for its inhabitants but also to integrate specific coastal and waterfront uses that demand a large quantity of space and requires highly specialized services. Ports, dwellings, beaches, promenades, protectorates, industry, logistics, resorts, restaurants, are just few of the uses that characterized most coastal cities and waterfronts and need to be integrated into the urban fabric and smartly diminish the consequences of climate change. This paper provides an analytical narrative of Doha, the capital city of Qatar as a typical city-state in addition to significant coastal cities in Qatar like Al-Khor and Al-Wakra. The Gulf always played a major role in Qatar’s economical, social, cultural, and political life. Inhabitants of old Doha being fishermen and pearl divers perceived the Gulf not only as source of their prosperity but also considered as a sacred entity.