Risparmio idrico: iniziative in Qatar per preservare la risorsa più preziosa della Terra

euronews (in Italiano)

Risparmio idrico: iniziative in Qatar per preservare la risorsa più preziosa della Terra  Tenendo conto del clima arido e secco del Qatar, due aziende tecnologiche ecosostenibili del Qatar stanno utilizzando soluzioni innovative resistenti agli agenti atmosferici per catturare l'umidità dal cielo per la produzione di acqua.  In collaborazione con Media City  ALTRE INFORMAZIONI : http://it.euronews.com/2025/06/25/risparmio-idrico-iniziative-in-qatar-per-preservare-la-risorsa-piu-preziosa-della-terra  Abbonati, euronews è disponibile in 12 lingue.

Transcript

00:00You throw all the garbage of the city, all the garbage of the factories, all the garbage of the household, throw it into the water.

00:08And you are asking for clean water. That's not sustainable. You have to change your lifestyle.

00:14I hope that we're building the foundation for the agritech industry to transform food industry and the whole world.

00:23Hello, welcome to Qatar 365 with me, Adil Halim.

00:30On this episode, we continue to explore sustainability initiatives happening across the country

00:35and understand how new solutions in place help conserve the Earth's most valuable resource, water.

00:43I also sit down with Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus to find out how he thinks we can do a better job of protecting the planet.

00:50But first, Yunus has visited two companies in Doha that have turned to the sky to power their pioneering food and water systems on the ground.

01:01Water is the essence of life, but in the GCC, with its harsh climate and limited freshwater sources,

01:08technology is crucial for producing sufficient and sustainable drinking water.

01:13Eco-friendly technology company Skydrops offers an innovative solution,

01:17a water generation plant that captures moisture from the sky to produce drinking water that, quite literally, has come out of thin air.

01:25In the GCC, you never run out of humidity.

01:28So I think it's a really untapped resource.

01:30When we say that our water is ultra-pure, this is not a marketing gimmick.

01:34This is a scientific term because when you capture water from the air,

01:38you're not capturing a lot of the toxins and a lot of the metals that you typically get from groundwater.

01:43And also, throughout the water plant, we've made it very, very important for us to really cut out micro-plastics

01:49and then distribute it, also in a sustainable manner, with reusable glass and aluminum bottles.

01:55People may have concern about the quality of air from which the water is extracted.

01:59However, we have air filters to filter out the intake air, and then carbon and spun filters,

02:05and also UV light, to purify the extracted water.

02:09So that's why the water is thoroughly purified and safe for consumption.

02:13Much of the region's drinking water currently comes from so-called desalination,

02:18the process of removing salt and minerals from the sea.

02:21But the costs of desalination are high for government's pockets and the planet.

02:25The toxins that's released in the air, this is something very difficult to get around

02:29because it is a very heavy manufacturing process of water,

02:34and also because of the brine that it releases into the marine ecosystem

02:37and the damage that it can have on marine life.

02:39So I think with atmospheric water generation,

02:42because we're operating on such a small carbon footprint,

02:45it's a much more sustainable option.

02:48But Qatar is increasingly recognizing the potential of harnessing humidity

02:52and turning scarcity into sustainability.

02:55Another company in Qatar, agri-tech startup VeeFarms,

02:59also extracts moisture from the sky,

03:01but not to quench the thirst of humans, but of crops.

03:05VeeFarms has developed a climate-resilient technology

03:07that allows farmers to grow produce in remote and arid locations,

03:12but without the need for an external water or electricity supply.

03:16Of course, the main problems here are the heat, the humidity,

03:21and not being able to grow it conventionally.

03:26So what we did, we created the controlled climate

03:30where we use the waters that we're harvesting from the air

03:33and where we're utilizing solar energy.

03:36We're not using any pesticides.

03:38And what makes our farm more sustainable than others,

03:42particularly in Qatar and in this region,

03:45is that we can provide all-year-round production for certain crops

03:49which you cannot achieve outdoors.

03:52VeeFarms' technology is in its infancy.

03:54They are still testing the waters, if you will, of sustainable farming.

03:58But its founder says its eco-friendly systems

04:00are a step towards achieving global food and water security drop by drop.

04:05Our main mission is to feed the growing population of the world

04:10with environmentally friendly technologies.

04:13I hope that we're building the foundation for the agritech industry

04:17to transform food industry and the whole world.

04:21As chief advisor of Bangladesh's interim government,

04:27His Excellency Professor Dr. Mohamed Yunus leads a country

04:30dealing with corruption, a struggling economy,

04:33and coping with the effects of climate change.

04:36The latter is one of the topics he's come to discuss

04:38at this year's Earthna Summit,

04:39a forum with the goal of advancing sustainability

04:42in hot and arid environments.

04:44I sat down with the 84-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner

04:47on the sidelines of the summit.

04:49Welcome to Doha.

04:52You're here at the Earthna Summit.

04:53You said countries responsible for warming up the planet

04:56should help pay to deal with climate change.

04:59What effect does global warming have

05:01on vulnerable populations in the global south?

05:04It's all created by our habits,

05:06our way of dealing with each other,

05:08our businesses, our policies, and so on,

05:11all made of the civilization.

05:13Wherever you go, buy, buy, buy.

05:17Discount, bargain,

05:19you produce things which people will use once and throw away.

05:24So it's a waste-creating system.

05:26As long as our lifestyle is not adjusted

05:29to the safety and security of the planet,

05:32we'll destroy it.

05:34This civilization doesn't believe in safety, security of the planet.

05:40They want to enjoy themselves.

05:41So we have to be responsible,

05:44and we have to create a civilization of responsibility

05:47that how to protect the planet

05:50and then live here in a decent, responsible way.

05:54So we need to create that.

05:56What are the challenges in providing clean water

05:58in Bangladesh and the global south?

06:00Everywhere.

06:01Same problem.

06:02You pollute and you look for clean water.

06:04You throw all the plastic into your river,

06:07and you're looking for clean water.

06:10You throw all the garbage in your river,

06:13in your water system,

06:14you look for clean water.

06:15So you put all the kinds of chemicals to clean it and so on,

06:18and you pollute water more

06:19because you put chemicals into it.

06:21That's not sustainability.

06:22Something has to give, right?

06:23Absolutely.

06:24You have to change our lifestyle.

06:26With many Bangladeshis worried about

06:28where the next meal is coming from,

06:30how do you convince the public

06:31that climate change and sustainability

06:33are important issues to address?

06:36With the poor people,

06:37the people who are worrying about the next meal,

06:40they don't care about environment and so on.

06:44Because you don't care about the environment either.

06:46So how can you tell other people to care about it

06:49when you yourself don't believe in it?

06:51You have created a system where

06:53you are always encouraging to buy.

06:56It's either it's Christmas or it's eat, buy, buy, buy.

07:00All you are creating waste.

07:02You buy and throw it away.

07:04So you are encouraging that

07:06and then asking somebody else to do that.

07:09Opposite, you can't do that.

07:11You have to build a system

07:12where you follow the rules for everybody.

07:15We all have to make sure our lifestyle

07:18is not waste-creating lifestyle.

07:21It's a lifestyle which we reuse,

07:23we protect, we preserve,

07:25non-throw away.

07:26If you look at the vegetable industry

07:29around the world,

07:32particularly in Europe,

07:33almost 40% of the vegetable is thrown away.

07:36Fresh vegetable.

07:37Why?

07:38Because they don't fulfill the standard shape.

07:40Waste-creating,

07:41throwing good food away,

07:43good things,

07:44good shirt away

07:44because it's out of fashion.

07:46You created something called fashion.

07:48Fashion industry.

07:49What?

07:51Meaning that today what we are wearing,

07:53tomorrow you must not wear that.

07:54Fashion industry.

07:56They brainwashed you.

07:57It's a good shirt,

07:58good dress,

07:58good thing.

07:59Yesterday it was a hot item.

08:01Today it's a bad item.

08:03That's the way it is.

08:04Since 2010,

08:09Qatar Science and Technology Park

08:10has been home to the ConocoPhillips

08:12Global Water Sustainability Center.

08:15In recent years,

08:16the company has invested

08:17in developing innovative solutions

08:18for treating produced water

08:20from the oil and gas industry.

08:22The idea is to show Qatar

08:23has added its voice

08:24to the global water sustainability conversation.

08:27This state-of-the-art facility

08:32serves one main purpose,

08:33to analyze water

08:34and provide support

08:36not only in Qatar,

08:37but to many countries.

08:39The Global Water Sustainability Center

08:40brings together

08:41the experience and expertise

08:43of engineers

08:44and analytical scientists,

08:46which makes it unique.

08:47Michelle Almas

08:48is one of three

08:49Qatari scientists on the team.

08:51A part of our mission

08:52involved really supporting

08:54the country's capacity building

08:55and focusing on the cultivation

08:57of local talents

08:58of engineers and scientists.

09:00And as a Qatari engineer,

09:02since I joined the center,

09:03there has been a journey

09:05of development opportunities

09:06to enhance my technical skills

09:09and knowledge,

09:10as well as broaden

09:11my creativity and innovation.

09:13The center is the research arm

09:14of oil and gas company

09:15ConocoPhillips.

09:17They conduct research

09:18in water and wastewater

09:19treatment technology,

09:21including seawater desalination.

09:23Dr. Samar Adam

09:24says for every barrel of oil,

09:26three to four barrels

09:27of water are also produced.

09:29In the past,

09:30we used to really dispose it.

09:33We inject it back

09:34to the reservoir

09:35to maintain pressure

09:36and enhance oil recovery.

09:38However,

09:38with the increased pressure

09:40on the regulations,

09:41as well as

09:42environmental sustainability guidelines,

09:44and also advancement

09:46of the water technologies,

09:47opportunities are being

09:49looked upon right now

09:50to how to treat this water

09:51and recycle it

09:52for beneficial reuse.

09:54That's a large part

09:55of why his team created

09:56the Global Water Sustainability Center

09:5915 years ago

10:00to come up with new ways

10:02to manage this byproduct.

10:03Before we established the center,

10:05many of the water samples

10:06used to be shipped overseas

10:07for analysis.

10:09And we have this

10:10state-of-the-art laboratory

10:11right now

10:12and unique expertise.

10:14And we are able

10:15to send the samples

10:16directly to our lab here

10:17and come,

10:18which facilitate the shipping

10:20as well as the quickness

10:22and the fastness

10:23of coming up with a solution.

10:25Water-related research

10:26is one thing,

10:27but getting the word out

10:28to the public

10:29is another.

10:30Here at the Water Visitor Center,

10:32the GWSC hopes

10:34these interactive,

10:35hands-on exhibits

10:36promoting water conservation awareness

10:38will engage people

10:40at a grassroots level,

10:41especially school children.

10:43By teaching children

10:44about water conservation,

10:46the hope is it will show

10:47how they can make a difference

10:48in their own homes.

10:50Iman El-Shamari

10:51leads the outreach program

10:53for the Water Visitor Center.

10:55Qatar is a water-scarious country,

10:57and the focus has been

10:58to get the water supplies

11:00from the salty sea

11:02through desalination.

11:04Desalination is highly

11:05energy-intensive

11:06and costly treatment technology,

11:09so that means

11:10every drop count.

11:11And in the oil and gas sector,

11:13there is waste water

11:15is generated.

11:16So at the GWSC,

11:18we are focusing

11:19on treating this water

11:20to be recycled

11:21and to reuse

11:24in the plant.

11:25In that way,

11:26we minimize the demand

11:28on the expensive

11:29desalinated water

11:30in that industry.

11:34From sustainability experts

11:36weighing in on efforts

11:37to conserve water

11:38to a Nobel Peace Prize winner

11:40discussing ways

11:41we pollute

11:41our most valuable resource,

11:43we hope you enjoyed

11:44learning about

11:44some initiatives underway

11:46to protect our planet.

11:47But that's all the time

11:48we have for now.

11:49For more,

11:49check out Euronews.com

11:51and connect with us

11:51to our hashtag.

11:52Thanks for watching,

11:53and we'll see you next time

11:54on Qatar 365.

12:00and we'll see you next time.

12:01We'll see you next time.

Categoria

Trascrizione

Consigliato