The Qatar Cabinet has taken an important step regarding environmental protection in its weekly meeting held on Wednesday, 25 February 2026. The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman bin Jassim Al Thani, approved two draft decisions to ban the import of substances that deplete the ozone layer. The objective of this decision is to reduce harmful emissions and work towards making the country pollution free.
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What things have been banned?
The main objective of these decisions presented by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change is to stop the import of chemicals that deplete the ozone layer and cause global warming. The government took this step to fulfill its responsibilities under the ‘Qatar National Vision 2030’ and international agreements, such as the Montreal Protocol.
Justice Minister Ibrahim bin Ali Al Mohannadi said that these decisions will encourage the use of safer alternatives. This will not only benefit the environment, but will also enable Qatar to contribute to the ongoing climate change campaign around the world.
What effect will this have on common people and business?
This ban will have a direct impact on the refrigeration (fridge), air conditioning (AC) and fire fighting industries. These industries commonly use chemicals such as hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). The government plans to completely stop the import of these harmful substances by 2030.
Traders or companies who deal in these chemicals will now have to follow the quantity and rules decided by the ministry. The ministry reviews the quantity of imports permitted in October every year. This means that in the coming times, the trend of using new and safe technology appliances instead of old technology ACs and fridges will increase.
What else happened in the cabinet meeting?
Apart from this big decision related to environment, the cabinet has also approved some more important agreements. This includes a draft agreement with Hong Kong to protect investments. In addition, an air services agreement with the Republic of Mali and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in monitoring and auditing with Egypt have also been approved.
