Wednesday 15 / July / 2026
Muscat: The Environment Authority signed today a number of agreements to implement research projects within the Strategic Research Management Program. This aims to support scientific research and develop innovative solutions for environmental challenges, in alignment with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040, the Oman Environment Strategy, and Net-Zero Carbon Neutrality 2050.
The agreements were signed on behalf of the Environment Authority by Eng. Sulaiman Nasser Al Akhzami, Vice Chairman of the Authority. On the other side, the agreements were signed by Dr. Ali Saud Al Bimani, Vice Chancellor of the National University of Science and Technology; Dr. Al Amir Nasser Al Alawi, Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Technology and Applied Sciences for Administrative and Financial Affairs; and Dr. Salah Soumar Al Zadjali, Director General of Programs and Capacity Building at the Research and Innovation Authority.
The agreements included the implementation of research projects to monitor and manage plastic waste in terrestrial and marine environments, and to develop sustainable solutions and mechanisms to reduce them, alongside developing eco-friendly cooling technologies that contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and lowering the carbon footprint. These efforts also aim to enhance environmental innovation and support sustainable development priorities in the Sultanate of Oman.
The signing took place on the sidelines of a workshop titled "Reviewing the Outputs and Results of Strategic Research Projects," organized by the Authority to review the key results of research projects implemented within the Strategic Research Program, and to highlight their role in supporting environmental decision-making and developing scientific solutions for national challenges.
Dr. Mohammed Saif Al Kalbani, Director General of Environmental Compliance at the Authority, stressed in a speech the importance of enhancing the partnership between the Authority and academic institutions, and transforming scientific research outputs into practical applications that contribute to developing environmental policies and achieving sustainable development.
The workshop witnessed a review of four research projects addressing several priority environmental issues. These included the sustainable management of Omani coasts, studying natural radiation levels and their health and social impacts, measuring radon gas concentrations and their impact on public health, in addition to developing innovative solutions for the sustainability of special economic zones and reducing pollution using biotechnology.
The workshop also reviewed two new research projects within the Strategic Research Program for the period (2026–2028). The first addressed monitoring and managing plastic waste in terrestrial and marine environments to support finding sustainable solutions aligned with "Oman Vision 2040," while the second focused on developing eco-friendly cooling technologies that contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and lowering the carbon footprint. The project also addresses the Authority's future directions in the field of strategic research, which are based on developing scientific and innovative solutions to national environmental challenges, and enhancing cooperation with the Research and Innovation Authority and academic institutions.
The organization of the workshop comes within the framework of the efforts made by the Environment Authority to strengthen the environmental research system and exchange knowledge among government agencies, academic institutions, and research entities. This contributes to developing evidence-based environmental policies and supporting innovation in facing environmental challenges and achieving sustainability.
