Four Qatari Heritage Sites Achieve Carbon Neutrality Certification

On July 7, 2026, four sites under Qatar Museums (QM) received carbon neutrality certification for 2025, verified by Earthood Services Limited and supported by the Gulf Organisation for Research & Development (GORD), in accordance with ISO 14068-1:2023. The certified sites are the National Museum of Qatar, the Museum of Islamic Art, the Fire Station cultural venue, and Al Zubarah Fort. Al Zubarah Fort, located within a UNESCO World Heritage site, becomes the first UNESCO-listed property in the Middle East to earn such certification. The Museum of Islamic Art had previously been certified for 2021, and the National Museum of Qatar for April 2022–March 2023. The certification covers operational and service emissions including electricity, water, refrigerant consumption, solid waste, wastewater, and visitor and employee travel. However, it remains unclear whether artwork transport and international visitor flights are included—the latter being a major source of emissions. In France, no museum has yet received an equivalent carbon neutrality certification. The French Ministry of Culture published a guide in January 2024 to encourage cultural institutions to measure and reduce their carbon footprint. Qatar Museums' certification is considered pioneering, though the issue of air travel for visitors remains a significant concern.