The General Authority for Meteorology and Environmental Protection (GAMEP)

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The State of the Environment (2017)

Responsibilities and achievements

www.pme.gov.sa
 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques,
King Salman bin Abdulaziz AlSaud

www.pme.gov.sa
HRH Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz AlSaud HRH Mohammed bin Naif bin Abdulaziz AlSaud
Deputy Crown Prince, Second Deputy Prime Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister
Minister and Minister of Defense and Minister of Interior,

www.pme.gov.sa
Eng. Abdulrahman bin Abdul Mohsen AlFadhli,
Minister of Environmenrt, Water and Agriculture and
Chairman of General Authority for Meteorology and
Environmental Protection

Dr. Khalil bin Muslih AlThaqafi

General President of General Authority for
Meteorology and Environmental Protection

www.pme.gov.sa
History of the Authority
1930
King Abdulaziz Al Saud, may Allah bless his soul, established
the Directorate of Military Affairs and assigned aviation affairs
thereto, including Meteorology.
1940
The Directorate of Military Affairs’ name was changed to the
Department of the General Staff which consisted of four of-
fices, including the Bureau of Meteorology, called the Direc-
torate of Meteorology.
1944
The Ministry of Defense was established and the Directorate
of Meteorology became a part of the Royal Saudi Air Force.
1950
The Directorate of Meteorology became a part of the Directo-
rate General of Meteorology and the Civil Aviation Authority.
1966
The General Directorate of Meteorology was restructured into
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an independent institution under the name the Meteorology
Department, directly supervised by the Ministry of Defense
and Aviation. In 1401 H., the environmental protection re-
sponsibilities were assigned to the Meteorology Department
whose name was changed to the Meteorology Department
and Environmental Protection Administration (MEPA).
2001
The Authority was further restructured and its name was
changed to the General Presidency of Meteorology and En-
vironment Protection (PME). It was entrusted with the envi-
ronmental management system implementation, which was
considered one of the exceptional achievements in the Saudi
environmental sector, confirmed by the Royal Decree No.
34/M on 28/07/1422H.
2016
The name was changed to the General Authority of Meteorol-
ogy and Environmental Protection (GAMEP), under a Royal
Decree issued on 30/07/1437H.
 Authority’s responsibilities

Within the meteorological sector, GAMEP is the na-

tional authority responsible for the provision of weather
and climate monitoring, forecasting and warning infor-
mation services for other government authorities, the
private sector, the research community and the general
public. This is achieved through a technical and practi-
cal integrated system that is consistent with the inter-
national meteorological standards and recommended
practices issued by the World Meteorological Organi-
zation (WMO).
GAMEP is the designated national meteorological au-
thority within the WMO and operates state-of-the-art
global and several regional weather and climate data
and information management and exchange centers,
under the umbrellas of the WMO and the International
Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Within these national and international capacities, the
meteorological sector of GAMEP, undertakes a wide
span of responsibilities, including:
• Continuous monitoring and surveillance of weather
conditions through networks of surface, marine and up-
per air monitoring stations, as well as a network weath-

www.pme.gov.sa
Authority Responsibilities
er radar and satellite remote sensing earth-stations.
• Issuance of early warning of extreme weather events in the
days ahead, communicate warnings to relevant authorities re-
sponsible for response and evacuation in an amble time to take
necessary measures to ensure the safety of life and protection of
property, and participate in the management of weather-related
natural emergencies.
• Issuance of daily reports about current and expected weather,
and provide weather information to decision makers and com-
munity to plan and manage tourism activities, recreational and
sport events.
• Provision of sets of meteorological informational services for
domestic and international air navigation, local and regional mar-
itime and land transports, as well as agriculture, water resource
management, traditional and renewable energy production, and
other weather-affected industries.
• Management of national climate data, production of climate in-
formation to support decision-making and operation of weather-
affected development projects, and support engineering design
studies and research related to the Kingdom›s climate.
• Provide climate data to support the preparation of national
reports regarding the Kingdom›s commitments to international
treaties and conventions related to climate, desertification, dis-
aster risk reduction and others.
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• Fulfill the Kingdom›s obligations towards the development and
quality of the operation of weather and climate information man-
agement centers at global and regional levels entrusted to the
Kingdom by the relevant international organizations.
Article three of the General Environmental Law entrusts GAMEP,
as the competent agency responsible for upholding Article (32)
of the Kingdom’s Basic Rule of Governance, which include the
following:
• Review and assess the state of the environment, develop ob-
servational means and tools for the collection of information and
the conduct environmental studies.
• Document and publish the environmental information.
• Prepare, review, develop, interpret and issue environmental
protection standards.
• Prepare environmental regulations relevant to its domain of re-
sponsibilities.
• Ensure that public agencies and individuals abide by the en-
vironmental regulations, standards and guidelines, as well as
adopt the necessary procedures thereof in coordination and co-
operation with the concerned and licensing agencies.
• Review the latest developments in the domain of environment
and its management at the regional and the international levels.
• Promote environmental awareness at all levels.
State of the Environment Report (Saudi Arabia, 2016)

Article 32 of the Basic Rule of Governance for the

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia states, «the State shall
endeavor to preserve, protect, develop the environ-
ment and prevent its pollution.” The Kingdom’s first
State of the Environment Report aimed at reflecting
the harmony between national achievements and
the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),
which have been adopted in New York in September
2015. It also reflected on the Paris Climate Change
Conference held in December 2015, and the World
Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction held in Sen-
dai, Japan in March 2015 and its Protocol Declara-
tion.
The sustainable use of natural resources is under
the 6th objective of the Kingdom›s 10th Develop-
ment Plan, which aims at: «Increasing the added
value of natural resources in the national economy,
diversifying their source, ensuring their sustainability,
protecting the environment, and conserving wildlife.”
The General Authority for Meteorology and Environ-
mental Protection (GAMEP) produced this report
based on the Article three of the General Environment

www.pme.gov.sa
State of the Environment Report (Saudi Arabia, 2016)
Law, issued by Royal Decree 34/M on 28/07/1422H,
which stipulates that the responsibility of the Compe-
tent Authority i.e. GAMEP to review, assess and pre-
pare periodical reports on the state of the environment.
In this context, GAMEP has prepared this report about
the state of the environment in the Kingdom’s environ-
ment during the first quarter of 2016, in coordination
with various concerned government institutions and
organizations. These concerned bodies provided the
GAMEP with the information required for the prepara-
tion of the report.
This important report is based on the Kingdom›s en-
vironmental policy and goals, which follow the teach-
ings of Islam and Principles of Shariah which have or-
dained people to thrive and inhabit the earth as the
primary function of humankind, an honor from Allah.
This reflects the keenness to make diligent use of the
Kingdom’s natural and environmental resources for the
benefit of current and future generations, embodying
true values of SDGs.
The GAMEP has been keen on providing the required
environmental information infrastructure and establish-
ing the database needed to assess the State of the
www.pme.gov.sa
Environment. The report includes 7 chapters covering:
Environment for Development, Atmosphere and Air
Quality, Water Resources, Lands, Biodiversity, Waste,
and Environment Management. It describes the cur-
rent State of the Environmentin the Kingdom, its caus-
es, impacts, challenges and the opportunities that may
seized to realize better solutions to the rising annual
cost of environmental degradation.
The report also reflects on the Kingdom’s actual needs
and aspirations in the domain of environmental protec-
tion and preservation, highlighting the environmental
challenges facing the Kingdom, including increased air
pollution, water coastal resource protection, land de-
sertification, increasing natural disasters. The report
also stresses the importance of taking advantage of
planned initiatives and success stories.
During the final preparation of this report, the King-
dom launched its National Transformation program
(NTP), were GAMEP among most government agen-
cies worked through numerous workshops to examine
their role in implementing the initiatives necessary for
delivering on national priorities, and identifying oppor-
tunities for partnering with the private sector and inno-
 ‫تقرير حالة البيئة المملكة العربية السعودية‬ 71

2016 ،‫ الهيئة العامة لألرصاد وحماية البيئة‬: ‫المصدر‬

State of the Environment Report (Saudi Arabia, 2016) ‫عدد المحطات‬
‫الموقع‬ ‫المرحلة‬
‫المتنقلة‬ ‫الثابتة‬
2 13 ‫جدة‬ ‫األولى‬
4 10 ‫الرياض‬ ‫الثانية‬
1 8 ‫المنطقة الشرقية‬ ‫الثالثة‬
vative administrative and funding approaches. The key 0 components 1 of the report ‫الجبيل‬reflect the complex and

The report asserts the deep commitment and responsibil- multidimensional temporal interconnection between the
2 6 ‫مكة المكرمة‬ ‫الرابعة‬
1 6 ‫المدينة المنورة‬ ‫الخامسة‬
ity towards the community and future generations. It also causes 0 and effects,4 which characterize ‫ينبع‬ the interaction be-
highlights the constructive efforts made by the GAMEP by tween degradation of the environment and pollution loads.
1 8 ‫تبوك‬ ‫منطقة‬ ‫السادسة‬
1 6 ‫القصيم‬ ‫السابعة‬
preparing valuable information on the State of the Environ- The report1
provides4 a comprehensive ‫حائل‬
understanding of the ‫الثامنة‬

ment, to serve as a significant mechanism for policy and nature 0 of the Kingdom’s 2 environmental ‫ابها‬ problems, utilizing ‫التاسعة‬

decision makers toward environmental sustainability, as an analytical approach which focuses on human interac-
13 68 ‫االجمالي‬

an integral pillar of national sustainable development. The tion with the environment. ‫ محطات الشبكة الوطنية لمراقبة جودة الهواء‬:)3( ‫جدول‬

Kingdom is fully committed to the references adopted by The GAMEP - entrusted by the General Environmental
the international community, promoting positive participa- Law as the Competent Authority
‫ وقد قامت الهيئة بربط شبكات مراقبة‬.‫على مدار الساعة‬
- has prepared this State
‫يتم في هذه المحطات قياس كل من أكاسيد الكبريت‬
tion in the global environmental efforts. of ‫البيئية‬
‫بالهيئة‬ the Environment
‫هذه في قواعد البيانات‬Report
‫جودة الهواء‬of the
‫الكربون‬Kingdom
‫أول وثاني أكسيد‬in coordination
‫وغازي‬ NOX ‫ والنيتروجين‬SOX
‫بصورة‬with
‫البيانات‬all relevant
‫تجميع‬ authorities,
‫ حيث يتم‬،‫م‬2008 ‫ بدءًا من عام‬and‫ ميكرون‬in compliance
10 ‫بحجم‬ with‫واألوزون‬
‫ والدقائق العالقة‬O3 ‫األرضي‬ theCOX
Report Methodology methodology
‫بمعايير أو‬ of the‫بمركز‬
‫المعلومات بالهيئة ومقارنتها‬ United
‫ ٕالكترونية‬Nations
‫ في الهواء‬Environment Program
PM2.5 ‫ ميكرون‬2.5 ‫األقل من‬ ‫ والدقائق‬PM10
‫ وتحديد أكثر المواقع عرضة للتلوث‬,‫مقاييس جودة الهواء‬
The State of the Environment report was prepared accord- in the field of conducting State‫األرصاد‬ of ‫عناصر‬
the ‫لقياس‬ ‫ كما يوجد بالمحطات أجهزة‬.‫المحيط‬
Environment reports
.)GIS( ‫باستخدام نظم المعلومات الجغرافية‬ ‫الجوية األساسية من حرارة ورياح وأمطار ورطوبة وغيرها‬
ing to the international methodology adopted by the United as mentioned earlier.
Nations Environment Program (DPSIR) within the frame-
work of: driving forces, pressures on the environment in the
Kingdom, current state of the environment, environmental
impacts, analysis of the appropriateness and effectiveness
of policies and efforts exerted to mitigate the negative im-
pacts on humans and the environment, the future vision of
environmental sustainability in the Kingdom and analysis
of future environmental policies in dealing with the prob-
able environmental variables and alleviating their negative
effects.
‫محطات جودة الهواء الثابتة والمتحركة‬

www.pme.gov.sa
State of the Environment Report (Saudi Arabia, 2016)
Report Objective and Purposes
Within the context of upholding Article 32 of the Kingdom’s
Basic Rule of Governance, fulfilling GAMEP mandate as
the Competent authority entrusted with ensuring protection
of the Kingdom’s environment and sustainable use of its
natural resources, this report seeks to attain a number of
objectives, including:
• Providing updated information on the current State of the
Environment in the Kingdom, its causes and impacts on
humans, ecosystems and future trends. This is achieved
through analyzing monitoring information available at min-
istries and relevant bodies of the Kingdom coupled with
environmental information available at the GAMEP. In this
context, environmental databases have been designed
for the purpose of periodic assessment of the State of the
Environment in the Kingdom, to support decision-making,
help formulate environmental sustainability policies, fulfill
the needs of scientific research and serve as reference in
prepare studies about the Kingdom’s environment.
• Supporting the efforts of all relevant parties to dis-
seminate environmental knowledge and raise awareness
among the various groups of the community about state of
the Kingdom’s environment, environmental problems and
challenges, and point out opportunities toward environ-
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mental sustainability.
• Promoting the government participation in the environ-
mental decision making and rendering environmental poli-
cies a success, so as to positively affect citizens’ well-be-
ing, ecosystems sustainability and heritage preservation.
• Identifying the Kingdom’s needs for environmental pro-
tection and conservation of natural resources, by manag-
ing current environmental sustainability challenges and im-
proving the national environmental performance.
• Emphasizing GAMEP commitment to the community and
future generations to achieve national environmental sus-
tainability, by enforcing the principle of partnership with the
relevant government sectors, private sectors and various
segments of the community.
Report target groups
The report targets various concerned groups, which in-
clude decision makers in concerned Saudi government
and private sectors; research and studies centers, univer-
sities, educational, media, religious institutions and all seg-
ments of the Saudi society; as well as the international and
regional organizations. Full coordination was established
with the concerned sectors through workshops and meet-
ings during initial stages of the preparation of the report.
Chapter One
1 ENVIRONMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT

1
Chapter One
1 ENVIRONMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT
In the following pages we shall describe briefly
the seven chapters of the report starting with the
first one entitled Environment for Development.
The development of natural resources is among
of the top priorities of the Kingdom. The 6th goal
of the Kingdom’s 10th Development Plan calls for
“increasing the added value of natural resources
in the national economy, diversifying their source,
ensuring their sustainability, protecting the envi-
ronment, and conserving wildlife.” This concept
is stressed in the definition of targets associated
with realizing this goal at the sector level.
With the GAMEP contribution to the National
Transformation Program (NTP), a group of perfor-
mance indicators were defined for achievement by
2020. Sector specific initiatives were developed to
realize clear performance indicators for achiev-
ing environmental sustainability objectives, tar-
geting improved air and water quality, enhanced
protection of marine and coastal environment,
sound waste and chemicals management, cli-
mate change adaptation with mitigation co-bene-
fit, and strengthening environmental governance.
GAMEP NTP initiatives represent bright spots and
good momentum for positive action toward sound
national environmental sustainability.
Thus, the 10th Development Plan, and the NTP
represent the referential literature for the State
of the Environment Report in the Kingdom to al-
low interaction and integration with any global ad-
vancement and national action in the Kingdom in
the field of environment and sustainable develop-
ment.
Therefore, the first chapter of the report focuses on
an important set of axes, foremost among which is
that the environment is a cornerstone of sustain-
able development where human beings live and
exercise various industrial, agricultural, urban and
commercial activities.
The ecosystems in the Kingdom are very fragile
due to the Kingdom’s geographical location, cli-
mate, coasts and sea, which require utmost care
to sustain the services they provide for the well-
being of humans and sustainable development.
Integrating environmental protection principles
into the Kingdom’s development plans and poli-
‫‪Chapter One‬‬
‫‪1‬‬
‫‪cies, making them an integral part of the‬‬
‫‪overall development in industrial, agricul-‬‬
‫‪tural, urban and other areas, and adopt-‬‬
‫‪ing green economy will definitely bring‬‬
‫‪the society to a specific concept of sus-‬‬
‫‪tainable development beyond 2015. The‬‬
‫‪report also takes into account the con-‬‬
‫‪servation of natural resources, respecting‬‬
‫‪human development and the fulfillment of‬‬
‫‪their basic needs.‬‬
‫‪This chapter also emphasizes that crude‬‬
‫‪oil, natural gas and mining sectors are‬‬
‫‪among the pillars of Saudi Arabia’s pro-‬‬
‫‪gress and well-being as part of the na-‬‬
‫‪tional economy. The extraction, market-‬‬
‫‪ing and consumption of oil and minerals‬‬
‫‪are accompanied by emission of haz-‬‬
‫‪ardous wastes, greenhouse gases and‬‬
‫‪pollutants. Therefore, the precautionary‬‬
‫‪approach at all stages of extraction, mar-‬‬
‫‪keting and use ensures the protection of‬‬
‫‪humans, ecosystems and services.‬‬
‫‪In this chapter, the report also points to‬‬
‫‪ENVIRONMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT‬‬
‫الغربية في البالد التي یزید ارتفاع بعض قممها على‬
‫‪3200‬م‪ ،‬ففي فصل الشتاء تتأثر المناطق الشمالية‬
‫والوسطى والشرقية من المملكة بامتداد «المرتفع‬
‫السيبيري»‪ ،‬بينما تكون المناطق الجنوبية والغربية‬
‫واقعة تحت تأثير امتداد «منخفض السودان»‪ .‬أما في‬
‫فصل الصيف فتقع المملكة بالكامل تقریبًا تحت‬
‫ال عن تشكل‬ ‫تأثير «المنخفض الموسمي الهندي» فض ً‬
‫ي أقصى الجنوب‬
‫حر االحمر‪ ،‬وشرقًا‬
‫دة وقطر‪ ،‬وشماالً‬
‫ن وسلطنة ُعمان‪.‬‬
‫ة العرب بمساحة‬
‫التساع مساحة‬
‫منخفض حراري صيفي فوق منطقة الربع الخالي‪.‬‬ ‫تداد البحر األحمر‬
‫ویعتبر فصال الربيع والخریف فصلين انتقاليين بين‬ ‫وعرض ‪ 60‬كم في‬
‫هذه النظم المناخية‪.‬‬ ‫لعقبة (شكل ‪.)2‬‬
‫‪the transformation of the Saudi commu-‬‬
‫ل السـروات بنحو‬
‫‪nity, with all its institutions into a society‬‬
‫طح البحر‪ ،‬وفيها‬
‫‪where science is the basis and means‬‬ ‫سودة بالقرب من‬
‫‪for evolution, playing an essential role‬‬ ‫متر فوق مستوى‬
‫‪in achieving balanced development and‬‬ ‫یة شرقًا نحو نجد‬
‫‪diversification of the economy. It is also‬‬ ‫تربة ووادي نجران‬
‫‪important to enable people to gain knowl-‬‬ ‫طمة ووادي شوان‬
‫‪edge to cope with this transformation and‬‬ ‫یصرف مياهه نحو‬
‫الداخل؛ وتتصف‬
‫‪create its legislative, organizational and‬‬
‫أساسية للنشاط‬
‫‪administrative structure, through con-‬‬ ‫ن الشرق هضبة‬
‫‪tinuous training, encouraging creativity,‬‬ ‫الفصل األول‬
‫البيئة من أجل التنمية‬ ‫‪40‬‬ ‫بكثبان الدهنـاء‬
‫‪developing legislations, creating job op-‬‬ ‫سهول نجد ٕالى‬
‫‪portunities and endeavoring to reach a‬‬ ‫لنفود الكبرى ثم‬
‫العالية‪ ،‬وٓاخر یتمثل في قيام سوق لهذا الغاز كالصناعات‬ ‫خالل السنوات األولى من عمر صناعة النفط في المملكة‪،‬‬
‫‪balanced development with social, eco-‬‬ ‫البتروكيميائية في مدینتي الجبيل وینبع الصناعيتين‬
‫لتعزیز القاعدة الصناعية في البالد عمومًا وتنویع مصادر‬
‫كان الغاز المرافق یحرق في الهواء لعدم وجود سوق‬
‫قادرة على استيعاب جميع الكميات المنتجة منه‪ٕ .‬اال أنه‬
‫عات جبلية كجبال‬
‫‪nomic and environmental dimensions.‬‬ ‫الدخل والعمل على زیادة الوظائف‪ ،‬وحمایة البيئة‪ .‬ویوضح‬
‫شكل (‪ )5‬النمو في استهالك الغاز الطبيعي محليًا‪.‬‬
‫في السنوات األخيرة تم وضع برنامج عمالق یهدف ٕالى‬
‫االستغالل األمثل للغاز المرافق ومنتجاته ذات القيمة‬
‫شكل صحراء الربع‬
‫المملكة بمساحة‬
‫‪This chapter also discusses the low mi-‬‬ ‫شكل (‪ :)2‬موقع وتضاریس المملكة‬
‫العربية السعودیة‬ ‫ي للخليج العربي‬
‫‪gration rates from the major cities to other‬‬
‫السبخات الملحية‬
‫‪provinces as evidence of the availability‬‬
‫‪of services and the diverse opportunities‬‬ ‫وبشكل عام فإن مناخ المملكة حار‪ ،‬عدا المناطق‬
‫‪of education and employment to meet the‬‬ ‫الشمالية من حوض النفوذ ومرتفعات عسير في الجنوب‬ ‫م (‪ )92/1‬بتاریخ‬
‫‪needs of the people of various regions‬‬ ‫الغربي المعتدلة الحرارة مع وجود تدرج حراري سریع على‬ ‫(‪ )13‬منطقة ٕاداریة‪،‬‬
‫‪and strengthen their role in attaining sus-‬‬ ‫المرتفعات‪ ،‬وتنخفض الحرارة فيها ٕالى ما‬
‫هذهفي المملكة‬ ‫جانبي‬
‫النفط والغاز‬ ‫قطاعا‬ ‫قسم بدورها ٕالى‬
‫أحيانًا‪.‬‬ ‫الصفر‬ ‫دون‬ ‫(الكتاب اإلحصائي‬
‫‪tainable economic and social develop-‬‬ ‫‪600‬‬

‫‪550‬‬

‫استهالك الغاز الطبيعي (مليون وحدة‬

‫وتمتد الفترة الحارة عاد ًة ما بين شهري أبریل وسبتمبر‪،‬‬

‫مكافئة لبرميل نفط‪/‬السنة)‬

‫‪500‬‬
‫ٕاال أن التباین في المعدالت الشهریة لدرجات الحرارة‬ ‫ضاریس؛ فإن مناخ‬
‫یكون أكبر في المناطق الداخلية منه في المناطق‬ ‫بشكل عام فهو‬
‫‪400‬‬
‫الساحلية‪ ،‬حيث یصل المعدل السنوي لدرجات الحرارة‬ ‫ا عدا المرتفعات‬
‫‪350‬‬

‫‪300‬‬
‫‪2003‬‬ ‫‪2004‬‬ ‫‪2005 2006‬‬ ‫‪2007‬‬ ‫‪2008‬‬ ‫‪2009 2010‬‬ ‫‪2011‬‬
‫العام‬
 ‫‪1‬‬
‫‪Chapter One‬‬
‫‪ment to achieve balanced development‬‬
‫‪among all the Kingdom’s regions. Resort-‬‬
‫‪ing to sustainable architecture and using‬‬
‫‪renewable energies are a must for their‬‬
‫‪role in raising energy efficiency, rational-‬‬
‫‪izing the use of resources and protecting‬‬
‫‪public health and the environment.‬‬
‫‪Emphasis is being laid on the boom in the‬‬
‫‪tourism sector, which is an opportunity to‬‬
‫‪diversify the oil-dependent national econ-‬‬
‫‪omy. It is an incentive to reduce the flow‬‬
‫‪of Saudi tourists in the Gulf and abroad‬‬
‫‪and create job opportunities for Saudi‬‬
‫‪youth. Therefore, tourism has to be de-‬‬
‫‪veloped, especially ecotourism services‬‬
‫‪and infrastructure. Private sector should‬‬
‫‪be encouraged to play its role in investing‬‬
‫‪in tourist facilities, developing tourist ed-‬‬
‫‪ucation, training and encouraging Saudi‬‬
‫‪youth to adopt and develop their careers‬‬
‫‪in the tourism industry.‬‬
‫‪This chapter also deals with the King-‬‬
‫‪dom’s cultural heritage, tradition and re-‬‬
‫الصــــادر بالمرســــوم الملكــــي البـــاب الثــــاني (األحكــــام العامــــة للــــرخص) رقــــم‬
‫ق ‪ 4‬أكتـــوبر ‪2004‬م فـــي عدیـــد مـــن فقراتـــه االشـــتراطات الواجـــب مراعاتهـــا عنـــد‬
‫يئة المملكة العربية السعودية‬
‫والعشـرون (المحافظـة علـى البيئـة) والتـي نصـت علـى قيـام كـل‬ ‫المادة السابعة‬
‫‪ENVIRONMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT‬‬ ‫مواد خام أو رخصة منجم صغير بما یأتي‪:‬‬
‫ها الهيئة العامة لألرصاد وحمایة البيئة خالل (ثالثين) یومًا من استالمها؛ وفقًا‬
‫بها باتخاذ جميع الوسائل واالحتياطات الالزمة في جميع األوقات للحفاظ على‬
‫الوظيفية حيث قدرت الهيئة العامة للسياحة واآلثار‬ ‫ع سياحية‪ .‬وتسعى هيئة‬
‫مواقع أي مخلفات خطرة أو أي ضرر بيئي‪.‬‬
‫وحمایتها من‬ ‫ىطریة‬
‫الوعي البيئي في‬
‫فرص العمل المتوافرة بحوالي ‪ 491‬ألف وظيفة سنة ‪2010‬‬
‫‪ )8‬والتركيز على نشاطات‬
‫یمثلونالنحو الموضح‬
‫‪ ،2009‬على‬
‫جيدة‬ ‫وبحالة‬
‫بعام‬ ‫سليمة مقارنة‬ ‫ویتركها‬
‫بنسبة ‪%2.7‬‬ ‫حل الرخصة‪ ،‬ویحافظ عليها‬
‫محققة ارتفاعا‬
‫مجاالت الترفيه من أسواق‬
‫‪ %6.9‬من ٕاجمالي العاملين بالقطاع الخاص و‪ %6.1‬من‬ ‫عمال‪ ،‬والریاضة والمغامرات‪.‬‬
‫ٕاجمالي عدد العاملين بالمملكة‪.‬‬ ‫نشيط في توفير الفرص‬
‫نطقة الرخصة من مواقع أثریة‪ ،‬سواء كانت بناء أو نقشًا أو كتابة أو رسمًا‬
‫‪ligious status, making it a model for all‬‬
‫زیادة الوعي البيئي لدى السياح خالل الرحالت‬
‫‪people of the world. The Hajj and Umrah‬‬ ‫التعدینيالمحافظة على التوازن‬ ‫تثمار‬
‫وتحفيز سلوكيات‬ ‫ية‬
‫‪have many benefits besides their religious‬‬ ‫ألجيال المستقبل‪ .‬یوفر البرنامج جملة ٕارشادات‬
‫المسبق للرحلة السياحية البيئية‪ ،‬االختيار‬
‫‪aspect, including economy diversification,‬‬ ‫لة وألماكن التخييم واإلقامة‪ ،‬طرق التخلص من‬
‫والتربـة جـراء تسـرب الميـاه الملوثـة المسـتخدمة‬ ‫الجوفية‬ ‫سـير الصـخور ونقلهـا‬
‫‪regional development and contribution to‬‬ ‫ن اآلثار السلبية إلشعال النار‪ ،‬التعامل المسئول‬
‫الطبيعيةالتعــدین وغســـل المعــدات واألدوات‪ ،‬وتــراكم‬
‫فــي عمليــة‬ ‫على علـى‬
‫مكونات المناطق‬ ‫كبيـر‬ ‫شـكل‬
‫الحفاظ‬ ‫عها‪،‬‬
‫‪the national income. The Hajj and Umrah‬‬ ‫الصــلبة والخطــرة ناهيــك عـــن الضوضــاء مــن‬ ‫النفایـــات‬
‫اآلخرین‪.‬‬ ‫تلـــك‬
‫المحليين والزوار‬ ‫ومنهـا‬
‫السكان‬ ‫الحيوي‬
‫مشاعر‬ ‫احترام‬
‫‪sector is considered an integrated indus-‬‬ ‫الكهربـاء والمعـدات واآلالت المسـتخدمة‪ ،‬فضـ ً‬
‫ال‬ ‫تقدیم برنامج بيئي بعنوان (ابتسم) لطالب‬
‫مولـــدات‬ ‫لمســــایل واألدویــــة‬
‫ين لرحالته بإشراف مدربين من المعهد األمریكي‬
‫‪try that requires investments and includes‬‬ ‫عما یصـاحب عمليـة نقـل المـواد المنتجـة والصـخور مـن‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫مخططـات السـكنية‬
‫‪spending, earns revenues and provides‬‬ ‫الموقـع ٕالـى المصـنع مـن دك للتربـة فـي الطـرق غيـر المعبـدة‪،‬‬ ‫واء جـراء تطـایر الغبـار‬
‫ال حازما من‬‫وتطـایر لألغبـرة وغيرهـا‪ .‬األمـر الـذي تطلب تدخ ً‬ ‫عـل المواد الكيماویة‬
‫‪a promising and increasing employment‬‬
‫الدولة لتشـدید تطبيـق نظام التعدین أو ٕالغاء الرخص‪.‬‬ ‫كذلك تلوث المياه‬
‫‪opportunities especially following the ter-‬‬
‫‪mination of the Two Holy Mosques’ ex-‬‬ ‫أثر»‬
‫‪pansion project and the potential increase‬‬
‫‪in the number of pilgrims in the future,‬‬ ‫ویعتبر اتباع مبادٔي التنمية السياحية المستدامة‬ ‫توازنات البيئية جد معقدة؛‬
‫‪and the declining oil prices. The Kingdom‬‬ ‫من أهم األسس التي تسعى الهيئة العامة للسياحة‬
‫والتراث الوطني لترسيخها وخاصة في مجاالت الحفاظ‬
‫ي التعریف بالمواقع الطبيعية‬
‫محميات والشالالت والمغارات‬
‫‪makes efforts to manage the pressures‬‬ ‫على المعالم الطبيعية والتراثية‪ ،‬وترشيد استهالك‬ ‫ید من العنایة بهذه المواقع‬
‫‪on environment during the Hajj and Um-‬‬ ‫الطاقة والمياه‪ ،‬ووضع معایير للتطویر العمراني في‬ ‫ر والتعدي عليها وتخریبها؛‬
‫المناطق السياحية منعًا للتشوه البصري‪ ،‬كما تعمل‬ ‫ضغوط الناتجة عن األنشطة‬
‫‪rah seasons.‬‬ ‫الهيئة على تطویر وتنمية السياحة البيئية والسياحة‬ ‫ض عناصر البيئة كالنباتات‬
‫‪The Kingdom’s is eager to diversify its‬‬ ‫الجيولوجية والسياحة الزراعية مع مراعاة تطبيق أفضل‬ ‫ك یستوجب تنشيط الجانب‬
‫الممارسات البيئية وتفادي أي ٓاثار سلبية من خالل‬ ‫بيئية عند تخطيط وتطویر‬
‫‪economy and empowering the private‬‬ ‫التأكيد على تنفيذ دراسة تقييم األثر البيئي على‬ ‫والتشدید على السلوكيات‬
‫‪sector to contribute to the development‬‬ ‫المشاریع السياحية وخصوصًا الكبرى منها كجزء من‬ ‫ومواردها بجانب الحزم في‬
‫‪and improvement of services. The King-‬‬ ‫متطلبات اعتماد خطط التطویر لهذه المشاریع‪.‬‬
‫‪dom is calling on the government sectors‬‬
‫الغبار المتصاعد نتيجة تكسير وغربلة الصخور‬ ‫‪ -‬منطقة الریاض‬
 1
.‫منخفض حراري صيفي فوق منطقة الربع الخالي‬ ‫ر األحمر‬
‫ویعتبر فصال الربيع والخریف فصلين انتقاليين بين‬ ‫كم في‬
Chapter One ENVIRONMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT
.‫هذه النظم المناخية‬ .)2 ‫كل‬
‫ت بنحو‬
‫وفيها‬
‫قرب من‬
‫مستوى‬
‫حو نجد‬
to strengthen existing regulations, controls and improve ‫ي نجران‬
the quality of services.
‫ي شوان‬
Challenges and opportunities ‫هه نحو‬
The chapter concludes by discussing the challenges fac-
ing the Kingdom’s environment and opportunities toward
‫وتتصف‬
environmental sustainability as the main pillar of sustain- ‫للنشاط‬
able development. ‫هضبة‬
The Kingdom’s natural resources, like oil serve the de-
velopment which enabled it to enjoy high income and fair lated to environmental protection and conservation and ‫الدهنـاء‬
standard of living that fulfills health, well-being of people development of natural resources policies. ‫جد ٕالى‬
and social and economic welfare. The 10th Development Plan (1436-1437H to 1440-
1441H) focuses on merging the environment in the Gov-
‫برى ثم‬
The Kingdom is also witnessing educational and health
development, environmental protection as well as sus- ernment’s general policies, considering it the backbone ‫ة كجبال‬
tainable investment of resources. Nevertheless, popula- of social and economic affairs of the community. This is ‫راء الربع‬
tion growth, economic growth in oil, minerals, industry, mainly targeting the natural resources preservation, bio-
tourism, agriculture, and Hajj and Umrah sectors exert logical‫المملكة‬ ‫وتضاریس‬
diversity, social ‫موقع‬
development, :)2(
water ‫شكل‬
and its role ‫بمساحة‬
huge pressures on natural and environmental resources in attaining the foodand energy, climate change,
‫السعودیة‬ sustain-
‫العربية‬ ‫العربي‬
especially the costal and marine ones. able cities, seas and coasts, application of ecology sys-
‫الملحية‬
Since the 1990s, the Kingdom has sought to include tem, shifting to green economy, production issues, and
environmental protection and conservation of natural sustainable consumption.
resources within its national sustainable development ‫المناطق‬
There is‫عدا‬ ،‫حار‬of full
a need ‫المملكة‬ ‫ مناخ‬and
coordination ‫فإن‬cooperation
‫وبشكل عام‬ be-
strategies and plans, and begun the transfer of sustain- tween the government and private sectors in the com-
‫الجنوب‬ ‫الشمالية من حوض النفوذ ومرتفعات عسير في‬ ‫بتاریخ‬
able development from theory to practical reality. Various munity to protect the wildlife and natural resources and
economic and social development plans include items re- ‫على‬ ‫سریع‬sustainable
achieve ‫تدرج حراري‬development
‫الحرارة مع وجود‬ ‫الغربي المعتدلة‬
objectives. ،‫ة ٕاداریة‬
‫ وتنخفض الحرارة فيها ٕالى ما‬،‫جانبي هذه المرتفعات‬ ‫رها ٕالى‬
.‫دون الصفر أحيانًا‬ ‫إلحصائي‬
Chapter Two
2 ATMOSPHERE AND AIR QUALITY

2
Chapter Two
2 ATMOSPHERE AND AIR QUALITY

The chapter pinpoints that improv-
ing air quality is part of Article 2 of the
General Environmental Law, and one
of the most important indicators of the
air quality measurement. Air quality im-
provement (AQI) is among the key ini-
tiative of GAMEP NTP, where network
source emission measuring devices
and ambient air quality station will be
linked to the national air quality control
center, hosting a national air quality
database that will provide the basis for
the development of an inter-sectorial
national air quality improvement plan.
The planned air quality database is
linked to a National Environmental and
Meteorological Information Center and
an Early Warning Center to be estab-
lished under another GAMEP NTP ini-
tiative, to produce alerts in the event
poor air quality disseminated to hos-
pital emergency rooms and affected
communities.
The report indicates that, at the inter-
national level, AQI is linked to 11th,
12th, and 13th Sustainable Develop-
ment Goals (SDGs) for sustainable cit-
ies and communities, responsible con-
sumption and production, and climate
action, representing 17% contribution
rate to the achievement of sustainable
development goals. AQI is also linked
to four Environmental Performance In-
dex (EPI) indicators: average exposure
to NO2, average exposure to PM2.5,‫تقرير حالة البيئة المملكة العربية السعودية‬ 69
household air quality and PM2.5 ex-
ceedance. AQI contributes to the King-
dom’s fulfillment of its obligations to
several international conventions, and
its global ranking in sustainable envi-
ronment.
A range of axes have been mentioned
in this chapter, foremost among which
is the affirmation of the sustainable de-
velopment 11th SDG. The focus was
made to the importance of minimizing
the environmental impact in cities and
on communities by 2030. It necessi-

‫مثال للعواصف الرملية التي تجتاح المملكة‬ ‫مثال للعواصف الرملية التي تجتاح المملكة‬

‫اسـتخراج وتصـنيع الخامــات والمـواد األساسـية الالزمـة‬ ‫ صناعة تكسير الصخور‬.6 .2 .2

‫‪Chapter Two‬‬
‫‪2‬‬
‫يئة المملكة العربية السعودية‬
‫‪ATMOSPHERE AND AIR QUALITY‬‬ ‫يئة المملكة العربية السعودية‬

‫والشركات الوطنية الكبرى‪ ،‬وتلك الحمالت تستمر ثالث‬ ‫ويشكل غياب اإلحصاءات‬
‫للحد من استهالك الطاقة في ثالثة قطاعات‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫سنوات‬ ‫الهواء على صحة اإلنسان‬
‫«تقدر‬ ‫منها حملة‬
‫تستمر ثالث‬ ‫والصناعة‪.‬‬
‫الحمالت‬ ‫والنقل البري‬
‫الكبرى‪ ،‬وتلك‬ ‫المبانيالوطنية‬ ‫هي‬
‫والشركات‬ ‫المتسبب‬
‫تحديد اإلحصاءات‬ ‫ويشكل غياب‬‫ي في‬
‫في‬ ‫االستهالك‬
‫قطاعات‬ ‫بترشيدفي ثالثة‬ ‫فاتورتك»‪ ،‬الخاصة‬
‫استهالك الطاقة‬ ‫للحد من‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫تخفّ ض‬
‫سنوات‬ ‫السامة‬
‫الهواء اإلنسان‬
‫على صحة‬ ‫وملوثات‬
‫ةالهواء‬
‫بالعزل‬ ‫الخاصة‬
‫حملة «تقدر‬ ‫منها‬‫واضح»‬ ‫البري«الفرق‬
‫والصناعة‪.‬‬ ‫وحملة‬ ‫التكييف‪،‬‬
‫والنقل‬ ‫أجهزة‬
‫المباني‬ ‫هي‬ ‫وقابليتها‬
‫في تحديد المتسبب‬‫تركيزها‬ ‫يوقلة‬
‫المركبات»‪.‬‬ ‫و«حملة‬ ‫المباني‪،‬‬
‫تخفّ ض فاتورتك»‪ ،‬الخاصة بترشيد االستهالك في‬ ‫في‬ ‫الحراري‬ ‫التعرض‬
‫نة وملوثات الهواء السامة‬
‫بأن‬ ‫علمًا‬ ‫أحيانًا‪.‬‬
‫‪tates providing more attention to the air‬‬ ‫‪and dilapidated cars, monitor the qual-‬‬ ‫أجهزة التكييف‪ ،‬وحملة «الفرق واضح» الخاصة بالعزل‬ ‫الملوثات‬
‫هذه وقابليتها‬ ‫تركيزها‬ ‫وقلة من‬ ‫ضة‬
‫‪quality, municipal waste management‬‬ ‫‪ity of the air, develop an early warning‬‬ ‫الحراري في المباني‪ ،‬و«حملة المركبات»‪.‬‬ ‫من‬ ‫بأن البد‬
‫التعرض‬ ‫علمًا كما‬
‫لمسرطنات‪.‬‬
‫أحيانًا‪.‬‬
‫‪and others.‬‬ ‫‪system and rapid intervention to retain‬‬ ‫منها‬
‫الملوثات‬‫تنبعث‬ ‫مصادرمنالتيهذه‬ ‫ضة‬
‫تستخدم‬
‫كما البد من‬ ‫مسرطنات‪.‬التي‬
‫رة (‪)VOC‬‬
‫‪Moving to green, smart and sustain-‬‬ ‫‪the safety of its users.‬‬
‫وعمليات‬
‫تنبعث منها‬ ‫والدهانات‪،‬‬
‫مصادر التي‬ ‫باغ‬
‫‪able cities and increasing green areas‬‬ ‫‪The statistics indicate that the ener-‬‬ ‫السمكرة‬
‫وورش تستخدم‬ ‫(‪ )VOC‬التي‬‫ةدهانات‪،‬‬
‫‪and trees will help absorb pollutants,‬‬ ‫‪gy consumption of the electricity and‬‬ ‫األحياء‬
‫والدهانات‪،‬فيوعمليات‬
‫التي تنتشر‬ ‫باغ‬
‫‪mitigate the impact of dust storms,‬‬ ‫‪desalination sectors increased from‬‬ ‫الصناعات‪،‬‬
‫وورش السمكرة‬ ‫دهانات‪ ،‬بعض‬
‫إن قدم‬
‫استراتيجية‬
‫وتطبيق في األحياء‬‫التي تنتشر‬ ‫نيات‬
‫‪make use of treated wastewater, and‬‬ ‫‪about 900 PJ in 1986 to 1180 PJ in‬‬ ‫والحديثة‪،‬‬
‫الكبرىالصناعات‪،‬‬ ‫لصناعية بعض‬
‫إن قدم‬
‫‪serving as a basin of carbon dioxide.‬‬ ‫‪1992, which showcased an annual‬‬ ‫السكنية‬
‫المناطقاستراتيجية‬‫مع وتطبيق‬ ‫ةنيات‬
‫‪Green areas will ensure a healthy and‬‬ ‫‪increase of 5% and reached almost‬‬ ‫تهديدًا‬
‫يشكلوالحديثة‪،‬‬ ‫الكبرى‪،‬الكبرى‬
‫ةلصناعية‬
‫‪safe environment for the community.‬‬ ‫‪double (2400PJ) in 2010, although the‬‬ ‫توعية لتوفير الطاقة‬
‫الرتفاع‬
‫السكنية‬ ‫المناطقنظرًا‬
‫لقريبة منها‬ ‫ة مع‬
‫المختلفة‬
‫يشكل تهديدًا‬ ‫الصناعات‬ ‫م عن‬
‫الكبرى‪،‬‬
‫‪This chapter also emphasizes that the‬‬ ‫‪population increase during the same‬‬ ‫معه‬
‫يتوجدالرتفاع‬
‫مما نظرًا‬ ‫لضوضاءمنها‬
‫قريبة‬
‫‪large number of vehicles and the lack‬‬ ‫‪period did not exceed 2.5%. Expand-‬‬ ‫توعية لتوفير الطاقة‬
‫الحضري‬
‫لإلستيطانالمختلفة‬
‫طيط الصناعات‬ ‫م عن‬
‫‪of regulation of their movement cause‬‬ ‫‪ing the use of heavy fuel oil and crude‬‬ ‫المركبات‬
‫يتوجد معه‬ ‫أعداد‬
‫زيادةمما‬
‫لضوضاء‬‫ما أن‬
‫الدينية‬
‫المناسبات الحضري‬
‫وخالللإلستيطان‬ ‫طيط‬
‫‪confusion in the flow of traffic in the‬‬ ‫‪oil makes a heavy impact upon the air‬‬
‫زيادة‬ ‫أعداد مع‬
‫المركبات‬ ‫للشوارع‪،‬‬ ‫ميميةزيادة‬
‫ما أن‬
‫‪urban areas, leading to increased air‬‬ ‫‪quality. Reducing fuel subsidies start-‬‬ ‫عدم‬ ‫ظل‬ ‫في‬
‫وخالل المناسبات الدينية‬‫الطرق‬ ‫ى‬
‫‪pollutants emissions, fuel consumption‬‬ ‫‪ing in 2016 is an opportunity to reduce‬‬ ‫وداخلها‬ ‫المدن‬
‫ميمية للشوارع‪ ،‬مع زيادة‬ ‫بين‬ ‫ماعي‬
‫‪and noise, which pose a significant‬‬ ‫‪waste of resources through dropping‬‬ ‫ملوثات‬
‫انبعاثظل عدم‬ ‫الطرق في‬ ‫ةى لكبح‬
‫متعددة‬
‫معضلة وداخلها‬‫بين المدن‬ ‫تشكل‬ ‫اعي‬
‫‪health risk, particularly in tunnels.‬‬ ‫‪emissions and improving air quality.‬‬ ‫كما‬ ‫الوقود‪.‬‬ ‫واستهالك‬
‫ملوثات‬ ‫انبعاث‬ ‫ية لكبح‬ ‫ة‬
‫‪Therefore, it is necessary to expand‬‬ ‫‪There is no doubt that there is an in-‬‬ ‫الملك‬
‫متعددة‬ ‫مدينة‬‫معضلة‬‫الطاقة» في‬
‫ة تشكل‬
‫‪the mass transportation, modern trains‬‬ ‫‪crease in the pollution due to fusel fuel‬‬ ‫حمالت‬ ‫‪ 2014‬عدة‬
‫الوقود‪ .‬كما‬ ‫يةفي عام‬
‫واستهالك‬
‫‪and metro system, decrease the num-‬‬ ‫‪consumption in the sectors of electric-‬‬ ‫استهالك‬
‫مدينة الملك‬ ‫لترشيد‬ ‫ةوطنية‬
‫الطاقة» في‬
‫المملكة‬
‫مدنعدة حمالت‬ ‫من ‪2014‬‬ ‫ديد عام‬‫في‬
‫‪ber of small vehicles allowed in major‬‬ ‫‪ity, desalination and industry. This re-‬‬ ‫توعية لرفع كفاءة الطاقة‬
‫وهيئات‬
‫وزاراتاستهالك‬ ‫لترشيد‬ ‫وطنية من‬
‫كومية‬
‫‪cities and holy places, get rid of old‬‬ ‫‪quires a comprehensive plan to reduce‬‬ ‫ديد من مدن المملكة‬
‫توعية لرفع كفاءة الطاقة‬
‫كومية من وزارات وهيئات‬
 2
100

2014
‫ الهيئة العامة لألرصاد وحماية‬:
NOx μg/m3 80
SO2 μg/m3 60

Chapter Two H2S μg/m3

PM10 μg/m3
40
20
ATMOSPHERE AND AIR QUALITY
0
‫التعاونية‬ ‫الروابي‬ ‫المروج‬ ‫الغريبي‬ ‫الرياض‬

‫م‬2014 ‫ بيانات بعض محطات رصد ومراقبة جودة الهواء بمنطقة الرياض لعام‬:)9( ‫شكل‬

)‫تلوث الهواء في مدينة الرياض بالجسيمات الدقيقة (الغبار والعواصف الرملية‬

the sulfur content in the fuel used in these sectors, CO2 emissions, 66% of which is from electricity gen-
improve the efficiency of combustion and activating eration, desalination and land transportation. The
national plans‫ونقل‬ ،‫البيئي والمعرفة‬
to expand the use‫بالوعي‬
of ‫االرتقاء‬ ‫والوصول ٕالى‬
renewable ‫صحية‬
energy NTP initiatives ‫جدة‬by ‫في‬the
‫الهواء‬ ‫جودة‬sector
energy .3 .3 .3 .2
through the year
sources (i.e., solar,
‫بدأت عدة‬wind and others).
‫ وقد‬.‫بالمملكة‬ ‫وتوطين التقنيات الصديقة للبيئة‬ 2020, where
‫االستراتيجية‬ ‫البيئية‬Saudi Electric
‫بوضع الخطة‬ Company
2013 ‫عام‬ has committed
‫قامت الهيئة‬
The report stresses that the
‫ وشكل‬7 ‫(جدول‬ national
‫المدينة‬ ‫الهواء في‬effort under‫مشاريع‬
‫بمراقبة جودة‬ the deceasing
‫بهدف‬ dependence
،‫عامًا المقبلة‬ 25‫ على مدى ال‬fusel fuel and
‫لمحافظة جدة‬ build its renew-
‫الشاملة‬
United Nation‫قيم‬Convention on Climate Change is a val-
‫ ويبين الجدول‬.‫ وتحديد مصادر ملوثات الهواء فيها‬،)10 ‫ في ٕاطار‬،‫ الوصول بالمحافظة ٕالى أن تكون صديقة للبيئة‬from renew-
able energy capacity to produce 5 GW
uable opportunity to estimate
.‫بمحافظة جدة‬the emissions,
‫الرئيسة‬ build‫ملوثات‬
‫الهواء في المدن‬ da- able
‫بيئة‬ ‫في‬sources, which equal
‫مستقبلي لحياة أفضل‬ ‫ومنظور‬to‫مستدامة‬
5% of‫تنمية‬
the total energy
tabases, determine the vulnerability of the community generation. King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renew-
and its natural resources towards the climate change able Energy has several initiatives aiming to enable
and take the required mitigation measures and full ad- renewable energy contribution to the national energy
aptation with the impacts. mix, and committing to produce 3.45 GW from renew-
As a G20 member, the Kingdom has submit a nation- able sources.
al climate plan ahead of the COP21 United Nations This will contribute to increasing the participation of re-
Climate Change Conference in Paris in December, newable energies within the energy balance to reduce
2015. The Kingdom INDC announces the country’s the emissions and improve the urban air quality; while
intentions to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by prolonging the life span of oil and gas resources and
up to 130 million tonnes by 2030. sustaining the Kingdom’s position as a major source
The Saudi energy sector contributes about 92% of of oil and renewable energy in the future.
Chapter Two
2 ATMOSPHERE AND AIR QUALITY

‫تقرير حالة البيئة المملكة العربية السعودية‬ 69

The report confirms that the absence of health statis-
tics about the impact of air pollution on human health is
a source of worry. The challenge here is to identify the
cause health risks due to the number of chemicals, toxic
air pollutants to which humans are exposed, their lack of
concentration and cumulative susceptibility of the human
body from time to time, and the overlap and downwind fac-
Air quality also suffers from the limited human and the
high cost involved in monitoring and analyzing monitoring
stations measurement results. Nevertheless, identification
of pollution sources to support decision-making and the
formulation of environmental policies on air quality.
In addressing the issue of air quality in the Kingdom is
generating measurement data‫المملكة‬
‫مثال للعواصف الرملية التي تجتاح المملكة‬
from‫تجتاح‬continuous monitor-
‫مثال للعواصف الرملية التي‬

tors of industrial and residential areas. ing stations took center stage in the country, leading to the
Challenges and opportunities establishment of more than 120
‫اسـتخراج وتصـنيع الخامــات والمـواد األساسـية الالزمـة‬
‫ألعمـال البنــاء واإلنشــاء والتعبيـد فــي مختلــف مــدن‬
stations all over the coun-
‫ صناعة تكسير الصخور‬.6 .2 .2
‫أسهم المعدل المتسارع للتطور العمراني والنمو‬
The report indicates that the fixed monitoring results point- try.
‫أعــداد‬GAMEP NTP
‫ وتزايــدت معهــا‬،)7 AQI ‫ومحافظــات‬
‫المملكــة (شــكل‬ initiative‫تكامـل‬
will‫بمتطلبـات‬
build‫التعجيل‬on these ‫بالمملكة في‬ achieve-
‫السكاني‬

ed out the low level of air quality due to energy generation ments, by going beyond the monitoring
‫ حيــث تشــير ٕاحصائية وزارة البترول‬.‫الــرخص التعدينية‬
‫) ٕالى ارتفاع عدد الرخص التعدينية‬2011( ‫والثروة المعدنية‬
of air quality and
‫البنيـة األساسـية واإلنشـائية في مختلف الخدمات‬
‫ كما أن زيادة اتساع رقعة المناطق‬،‫العامة والخاصة‬
emissions, population increase, development activities developing and implementing‫المـدن‬
‫في‬ ‫رخصة‬ 1408 ‫ٕالى‬ 2004 ‫عام‬ ‫نهاية‬ ‫في‬ ‫رخصة‬ 1179 ‫من‬ a comprehensive
‫والحضرية واستخدامات األراضي وٕانشاء‬ Air‫السكنية‬
Qual-
and high per capita energy consumption. This led to an ity،‫البناء‬
Management (AQM) Plan.
‫ رخصة لمحاجر مواد‬1148 ‫؛ منها‬2008 ‫نهاية عام‬
‫ مجمعًا‬180 ‫ موزعـة علـى‬،%2.4 ‫وبمعدل نمو سـنوي بلـغ‬
A comprehensive AQM plan
‫االقتصـادية والمشـاريع التنمويــة المختلفـة أدى ٕالـى ارتفـاع‬
‫كبيــر فـي الطلـب علـى اســتغالل المـوارد الطبيعيـة‬
increase in certain pollutants’ thresholds associated with would allow .‫المملكة‬ for establishing
‫مناطق‬ ‫ للكسارات في مختلف‬detailed
‫ المتخصصـة فـي‬knowledge about
‫وتبعـًا لـذلك تزايـدت المنشــآت‬ .‫الالزمــة‬air

energy production, factory emissions, car exhaust, solid

)2009 ،‫ (وزارة البترول والثروة المعدنية‬: ‫المصدر‬

particulate emissions from quarries, crushers, cement
plants, construction sites, etc., as well as cross-border
dust particles originating from outside the Kingdom’s at-
mosphere.
Although there are about eighty ambient air quality moni-
toring stations operated by GAMEP and forty more operat-
ed by other government authority and government owned
companies, this number does not cover all the Kingdom’s
growing cities that are witnessing a rapid growth. GAMEP
NTP AQI initiative includes expansion of the existing na-
tional ambient air quality monitoring network to cover all
urban cities in the Kingdom’s thirteen regions. ‫ مواقع محاجر المواد الخام في المملكة‬:)7( ‫شكل‬
Chapter Two
2 ATMOSPHERE AND AIR QUALITY
quality, better decision making, and behavioral responses
from citizens. The AQM plan will specifically address air
quality challenges and solutions in the ten largest cities of
Saudi Arabia. Some of the proposed activities are national
in scope; others will focus on each city.
Many air pollutants are not measured within the national air
quality monitoring network., some of which are of great con-
cern to specialists due to its associated human health risks,
including persistent organic pollutants (POPs), which are be-
lieved to be in abundance in some cities where chemical in-
dustries are concentrated and also in the agricultural areas
and health facilities where pesticides are commonly used.
These pollutants remain in the environment, accumulate in
the human body through the food chain and adversely af-
fect endocrine, sex hormones and the reproductive capacity,
causing infertility and deformed child births, in addition to sev-
eral kinds of cancers.
All the above require intensifying control imposed on compa-
nies, industrial establishments, agricultural areas, and health
facilities in the Kingdom that produce, import or use these
chemicals to take the required precautions and make efforts
to reduce their emissions. It was mentioned that the absence
of health statistics on the impact of air pollution on human
health is an alarming issue. The challenge here is to identify
the cause due to the abundance of chemicals and the toxic air
pollutants to which humans are exposed, in addition to their
lack of concentration and the cumulative susceptibility of the
human body. The chronic exposure to low levels of these pol-
lutants causes genetic mutations and some kinds of cancers.
Facilities and sources emitting volatile organic compounds
(VOCs) used as solvents in the manufacture of dyes and
paints, painting operations, dyeing garages, and small
workshops in residential neighborhoods, should also be
strictly monitored. In addition, some outdated industries,
non-compulsory use of technologies, application of clean-
er production strategy in large and modern industrial pro-
jects, overlap of industrial zones and residential areas, es-
pecially in the major industrial cities, pose a major threat
to nearby residential areas due to the high air and noise
pollution.
The increase in private vehicles in main cities - and dur-
ing religious occasions -contributes to the traffic jams, and
delays on roads, especially that the roads are lacking pub-
lic transportation system in and between the cities, with
lack of advanced technologies to curb the emission of air
pollutants from car exhausts. Amongst the most important
problems in this respect are adverse health effects and
fuel consumption.
Chapter Three
3 WATER RESOURCES

3
Chapter Three
3 WATER RESOURCES
The Water Quality Index (WQI) is
considered a major indicator of water
quality. At the international level, im-
proving water quality is linked to the
6th and 14th sustainable development
goals related to clean water, sanita-
tion and underwater life, representing
a 12% contribution to the achievement
of SDGs. The water resource is also
linked to three indicators of the Envi-
ronmental Performance Index (EPI) re-
lated to wastewater treatment, access
to sanitation and access to drinking
water. Improving national water quality
contributes to the Kingdom’s its com-
mitment to SDG and improvement of
the Kingdom›s global ranking in the
EPI.
This chapter reveals that the Kingdom
is located in one of the driest areas of
the world, characterized by low rain-
fall, high evaporation rates and surface
water generated by random flooding
events, however adequate groundwa-
ter is available from the shallow renew-
able and none renewable groundwater
aquifers that is being utilized for differ-
ent proposes supplement by desalinat-
ed water.
In view of the economic and social
development witnessed in the King-
dom, accompanied by population and
urbanization growth and agricultural
expansion, the demand for water has
increased. This led the Kingdom to in-
vest in desalinated water to meet the
requirements of agricultural, house-
hold and industrial sectors resulting in
attaining high levels of drinking water
and sanitation services. The Kingdom
is facing several water resources chal-
lenges that currently threaten water
and food security, energy security and
development as a whole. 
High population growth with increased
per capita water consumption pose a
threat to the per capita traditional water
share. Fuel subsidy, desalinated water
Chapter Three
3 WATER RESOURCES
that depletes the energy resources along with consequent
environmental cost, low utilization efficiency of low water
tariffs and the increased leakage of water supply network,
all these factors increased the cost of drinking water, the
cost of safe disposal of wastewater, the pressure on de-
salination plants and sewage treatment plants, as well
as air pollution emission load from desalination plants.
Therefore, water demand management, quality control
and recycling issues should be given the highest priority,
rather than limited efforts to increase water supply.
The use of the cost recovery approach in the provision
of drinking water and treatment services will reduce con-
sumption, the financial and environmental burden on the
Kingdom›s budget and attain sustainable development,
water security and energy security.
The report indicates that the absence of socially afford-
able tariffs on the groundwater for the agricultural sector
and the lack of meters on wells, have led to a quantita-
tive and qualitative deterioration of groundwater, which
threatens the Kingdom’s water and food security. There-
fore, efforts must be intensified to rationalize water con-
sumption in the agricultural sector, make the maximum
use of renewable water resources, expand the use and
quality control of treated wastewater, expand the use of
modern agricultural techniques and irrigation methods
and encourage the private sector to invest in the agricul-
tural industry.
The report stresses that climate change is a major chal-
lenge facing various development sectors of the King-
dom, including water and agriculture sectors, the most
important of which are the frequency of extreme events
such as droughts, disasters and floods, seawater intru-
sion into coastal aquifers, high water costs of agricultur-
al production and the spread of water-related diseases.
Serious measures must be taken to adapt to the effects
of the climate change while mitigating greenhouse gas
emissions, and sustaining human health and safety.
The report also pointed out that the gathering of millions
of people in the Two Holy Mosques and other holy places
for a limited time and within a limited geographic area
is of great importance. Therefore, the supply of drinking
water, sanitation services, air quality, energy resources
and wastes are top priorities for the safety and health of
pilgrims and holy cities visitors. This requires attaching
great importance to rationalizing the water consumption
and the reuse process, rather than focusing on increasing
supply by expanding the water desalination and treatment
facilities.
 ‫‪3‬‬
‫‪Chapter Three‬‬
‫‪This chapter focuses on the integrated management of‬‬
‫‪water resources, which contributes to achieving a bal-‬‬
‫‪ance between supply and demand by meeting the in-‬‬
‫‪creasing water needs of all sectors in the short and long‬‬
‫‪terms, thus protecting from pollution and improving the‬‬
‫‪state of environment by enhancing the water resourc-‬‬
‫‪es management, including flood water, renewable and‬‬
‫‪non-renewable groundwater.‬‬
‫‪In addition, measures also include improving the water‬‬
‫‪demand management of different sectors, benefiting‬‬
‫‪from the treated wastewater and implementing effective‬‬
‫‪rationalization and environmental protection programs.‬‬
‫‪Improvement of underground and surface water quality‬‬
‫‪is among the GAMEP NTP initiatives, targeting the es-‬‬
‫‪tablishment and development of an integrated system‬‬
‫‪to: monitor water pollutants from waste water and treat-‬‬
‫‪ed water sources; ensure the compliance of all stake-‬‬
‫‪holders regarding surface and groundwater standards‬‬
‫‪and controls issued by GAMEP; and promote sustain-‬‬
‫‪able protection of the Kingdom’s water resources.‬‬
‫‪Challenges and opportunities‬‬
‫‪The report concludes that the sustainability of water‬‬
‫‪resources has been adversely affected by the water‬‬
‫في المملكة ‪ 22،5‬ملیون متر مكعب‪ ،‬يتم ٕانتاج‬ ‫ستهلكة للمیاه في المملكة خاصة مع استنزاف‬
‫نصفها تقريبًا من محطات التحلیة وتغطي المیاه‬ ‫یاه الجوفیة وتدهور نوعیتها‪ ،‬واالستمرار في الزراعة‬
‫الجوفیة نصفها اآلخر‪ .‬وبلغت كمیات المیاه السطحیة‬ ‫قلیدية المستنزف األكبر للمیاه الجوفیة (الزراعي ‪- ٪85‬‬
‫‪WATER RESOURCES‬‬ ‫والمیاه الجوفیة المتجددة التي تم استخدامها في‬
‫المملكة عام ‪2012‬م نحو ‪ 5‬ملیارات متر مكعب‪ ،‬منها‬
‫صناعي ‪ - ٪5‬البلدي ‪ ،)٪10‬وارتفاع استهالك الفرد للمیاه‪،‬‬
‫امي الحاجة للتخلص اآلمن من میاه الصرف الصحي‪.‬‬
‫‪ 3.2‬ملیار متر مكعب من منطقة الدرع العربي ذات‬
‫الصخور النارية والمتحولة (شكل ‪ ،)1‬و‪ 1.8‬ملیار متر‬ ‫ٕاحراز تقدم ملموس في تنفیذ العديد من المشاريع ذات‬
‫مكعب من منطقة الرف العربي الرسوبي الواقع ٕالى‬ ‫القة بموارد المیاه‪ ،‬والتي أسهمت في تحقیق األهداف‬
‫الشرق من الدرع العربي‪ ،‬والذي يشكل نحو ثلثي‬ ‫مائیة لأللفیة سواء في توفیر ٕامدادات المیاه الكافیة‬
‫مساحة شبه الجزيرة العربیة‪.‬‬ ‫منة ومرافق الصرف الصحي‪ ،‬وزيادة اإلمدادات الغذائیة‬
‫حسین األوضاع الصحیة المتعلقة بالمیاه‪ٕ .‬اال أن استهالك‬
‫یاه في جمیع القطاعات تجاوز بدرجة كبیرة مصادر‬
‫المصدر ‪ :‬هیئة المساحة الجیولوجیة السعودية‬
‫یاه المتاحة من سطحیة وجوفیة ومیاه تحلیة‪ ،‬وأدى‬
‫ى استنزافها‪ ،‬وتدهور نوعیتها‪ .‬يرافق زيادة الطلب على‬
‫یاه بفعل النمو السكاني وأنماط االستهالك‪ ،‬العديد من‬
‫حديات البیئیة منها زيادة الطلب على الطاقة‪ ،‬وزيادة‬
‫یات میاه الصرف الصحي التي يتم تصريفها أحیانًا في‬
‫دية وفي البیئة البحرية‪ ،‬واالستخدام المفرط لألسمدة‬
‫الثالث باإلضافة ٕالى‬
‫الفصلالزراعي؛‬
‫مبیدات الزراعیة بفعل التكثیف‬
‫ال عن تداخل میاه‬
‫الموارد المائیة‬ ‫غوط ناجمة عن ‪98‬‬
‫التنمیة الصناعیة فض ً‬
‫حر مع المیاه الجوفیة العذبة في المناطق الساحلیة‪.‬‬
‫د وضع تقرير األولويات االستراتیجیة لتقنیات البیئة‬
‫دينة الملك عبد العزيز للعلوم والتقنیة ووزارة االقتصاد‬
‫تخطیط‪2009 ،‬م) قائمة مبدئیة تمثل ‪ 18‬قضیة بیئیة‬
‫شكل (‪ :)1‬التركیبات الجیولوجیة في‬ ‫حة في المملكة‪ ،‬ويمثل تدهور مصادر المیاه ٕاحداها‪.‬‬
‫المملكة العربیة السعودیة‬ ‫ك تولي المملكة اهتمامًا كبیرًا للدراسات والبحوث‬
‫تعلقة بالحفاظ على الموارد المائیة وجمیع ما يتعلق‬
‫ضايا األمن المائي كمًا ونوعًا‪.‬‬
‫تتجمع موارد المیاه المتجددة (المیاه السطحیة) في‬
‫‪ .2‬حالة الموارد المائیة‬
‫عدد كبیر من األحواض في منطقتي الدرع العربي‬
‫والرف العربي‪ ،‬وفي رواسب األودية الضحلة‪ .‬فیما توجد‬ ‫كون مصادر المیاه المتاحة فى المملكة سواء‬
‫المیاه الجوفیة غیر المتجددة في العديد من الطبقات‬ ‫یدية أو غیر تقلیدية من میاه األمطار والسیول‪،‬‬
‫الرسوبیة العمیقة‪ .‬وتؤثر الخصائص المورفولوجیة‬ ‫میاه الجوفیة المتجددة أو غیر المتجددة‪ ،‬باإلضافة‬
‫شكل (‪ :)3‬المعدل السنوي للهطول المطري في مناطق المملكة (أطلس المیاه‪ ،‬وزارة‬
‫الزراعة والمیاه‪)1984 ،‬‬
‫أما األودية الداخلیة فتتمیز بتضاريسها المنخفضة‬ ‫وتقدر المعدالت السنوية لكمیات میاه السیول في‬
‫وانحدارها البسیط‪ ،‬ونظرًا لقلة األمطار في هذه‬ ‫المملكة بحوالي ‪ 5.4‬ملیار متر مكعب‪ ،‬تمثل تدفقات‬
‫السیول منها ‪ 3‬ملیارات متر مكعب في منطقة الدرع‬
Chapter Three
3 WATER RESOURCES
consumption pattern in the Kingdom in all sectors, es-
pecially the agricultural sector, the largest consumer of
traditional water. The natural and human constraints
from weak water governance, data disintegration, low
consumption efficiency, ambitious development plans,
increasing demand for water, and global climate change
expectations are the major ongoing challenges to the
sustainability of the Kingdom’s water resources in the
short and long terms.
To catch up with development requirements and achieve
SDGs beyond 2015, the Kingdom is exerting significant
efforts to achieve the objectives of the 10th Develop-
ment Plan concerning water resources, including im-
prove management of renewable and non-renewable
groundwater and surface water resources, protecting
them from depletion and pollution, and raising the effi-
ciency of their use. These national objectives are con-
sistent with the 6th SDG to ensuring access to water
and sanitation for all. This requires higher levels of
wastewater treatment, increased reuse of treated water
for agriculture, improved mechanisms for rationalizing
water consumption of all sectors, and reducing produc-
tion, transportation and distribution losses.
As the kingdom is suffering from global climate change
impacts, it is important to assess the water sector risk
management in order to enhance renewable resourc-
es, protect them against flood risks and increase the
storage capacity of surface water and its groundwater
storage.
It is worth mentioning that the Kingdom has developed
a national water strategy, and had participate in the
United Gulf Water Strategy 2016. The Kingdom strives
to develop and localize desalination technologies, in-
troduce nanotechnology, support them with renewable
energy technologies; protect groundwater resources
from depletion, especially in the agricultural sector, the
largest consumer of water.
The Kingdom›s tremendous efforts in the field of: limi-
tation and classification of well-drilling contractors, the
ban on well-drilling, distribution of agricultural land in
more than 60 locations of the Kingdom; the ban on the
purchase of locally produced wheat in 2007; the ban on
the cultivation of fodder in 2015 for three years, reduc-
tion of fuel subsidies and raising of water and electric-
ity prices, all these policies are aimed at achieving the
goal of changing the water consumption patterns which
is becoming very alarming and is posing a threat to wa-
ter resource, food and energy securities and sustain-
able development.
In order to maintain the environmental balance in the
 ‫‪3‬‬
‫(‪150‬الرف استدامتها‪ .‬فبعد أن وفرت الخزانات الجوفیة الضحلة‬ ‫وعمقها من‬
‫منطقة‬ ‫ٕالى‪ )1000‬متر‪،‬‬
‫والفتاتیة في‬ ‫(‪ 50‬الجیرية‬ ‫للمیاه من‬
‫الرسوبیة‬ ‫الصخور‬‫الحاملة‬ ‫متجددة في المملكة‬
‫العربي والینابیع میاه الشرب والري لنحو ‪ 200000‬مزرعة صغیرة‬
‫الخزانات‬ ‫وعدد‬
‫نحو الخلیج‬ ‫األرض‪.‬غربًا‬
‫جبال الحجاز‬‫سطح‬ ‫التي تحت‬
‫تنحدر من‬ ‫العربي متر‬
‫ٕالى ‪)3000‬‬ ‫د میاهها من األمطار‬
‫‪Chapter Three‬‬ ‫‪WATER RESOURCES‬‬
‫المواقع في أوائل الخمسینات‪ ،‬انخفضت مؤخرًا ٕالى ‪ 3500‬مزرعة‬
‫ٕاعتبار‬
‫بعض‬ ‫على‬
‫جوفیًا‪،‬في‬
‫طبیعیة كما‬‫عیون خزانًا‬
‫للمیاه (‪)11‬‬
‫الحاملةبشكل‬
‫الرئیسیة وتظهر‬
‫شرقًا‬ ‫المیاه حاجة المزارع‬
‫فقط‪ .‬وتشیر دراسة الطرباق (‪1997‬م) ٕالى استنزاف المیاه‬ ‫واحدًا‪ ،‬بما‬ ‫جوفیًا‬ ‫خزانًا‬ ‫الجیولوجیة‬
‫الشرقیة من المملكة وجنوب غرب المملكة‪.‬‬ ‫المجموعات‬ ‫طول السهول الواقعة‬
‫المتجددة الضحلة منذ عام ‪1970‬م بنحو ‪ 125-120‬ملیار متر‬ ‫تشمل هذه المجموعات من متكونات حاملة للمیاه‬
‫مكعب‪.‬‬ ‫وفیما يلي نبذة عن كل منها‪.‬‬

‫‪ the‬المتجددة‬
‫‪Kingdom and implement‬‬ ‫‪water‬غیر‬
‫الجوفیة‬ ‫المیاه‬
‫‪resource‬‬ ‫‪.2 .2 .2 .3‬‬
‫‪objectives‬‬ ‫‪ .1 .2 .2 .3‬المیاه الجوفیة المتجددة‬
‫‪of the 10th‬‬
‫طبقات‬ ‫‪Development‬‬
‫المتجددة في‬ ‫‪Plan,‬‬
‫‪ serious‬غیر‬
‫‪ measures‬الجوفیة‬
‫مصادر المیاه‬ ‫‪must‬‬
‫توجد‬ ‫قدرت شركة االستشارات البريطانیة (‪)BAAC, 1980‬‬
‫‪be taken to achieve water sustainability. The most im-‬‬
‫الرف‪portant‬‬ ‫في ‪is‬منطقة‬
‫‪of these‬‬ ‫الجیرية والفتاتیة‬
‫‪to determine‬‬ ‫الصخور الرسوبیة‬
‫‪the consumption‬‬ ‫‪of‬‬ ‫مخزون المیاه الجوفیة الضحلة المتجددة في المملكة‬
‫العربي‬
‫‪different‬‬ ‫الخلیج‪water‬‬ ‫‪and‬نحو‬
‫‪sectors‬‬ ‫الحجاز غربًا‬
‫جبال ‪meet‬‬ ‫تنحدر من‬
‫‪the water‬‬ ‫‪and‬التي‬
‫‪supply‬‬ ‫العربي‬ ‫بنحو ‪ 84‬ملیار متر مكعب‪ ،‬تستمد میاهها من األمطار‬
‫‪sanitation‬‬ ‫‪services‬‬
‫المواقع‬ ‫‪ in‬بعض‬‫‪rural‬في‬ ‫‪and urban‬‬
‫طبیعیة كما‬ ‫‪areas,‬‬
‫عیون‬ ‫بشكل‬ ‫وتظهر ‪in‬‬
‫‪line with‬‬‫شرقًا‬ ‫الموسمیة والسیول‪ .‬تلبي هذه المیاه حاجة المزارع‬
‫‪the population density and urban growth expected in‬‬
‫‪the Kingdom.‬‬
‫الشرقیة من المملكة وجنوب غرب المملكة‪.‬‬ ‫الصغیرة واألراضي الخصبة على طول السهول الواقعة‬
‫‪Within the Saudi water sector NTP objectives are in-‬‬
‫‪creased capacity for strategic water storage, strength-‬‬
‫‪ening the surface water sources through dams and har-‬‬
‫‪vesting rainwater, strengthening groundwater sources‬‬
‫‪from wells, expanding desalinated water sources.‬‬
‫‪This is in addition to the participation of the private sec-‬‬
‫‪tor, expansion of awareness programs to change the‬‬ ‫ملكة‬
‫‪consumption patterns documented in the National Re-‬‬
‫‪port on Sustainable Development. This is represented‬‬
‫‪in seminars and workshops in rationalization of water‬‬
‫‪use, participation in the annual World Water Day (22‬‬
‫ألف سنة‪ ،‬ويتم تغذية التكوينات الجیولوجیة العمیقة‬ ‫دة بأعماق مختلفة في‬
‫‪March), the Gulf Unified Water Week, the Gulf Water‬‬
‫‪Conference, the water sector coordinated efforts with‬‬ ‫من خالل األمطار والسیول التي تقع على منكشفاتها‬ ‫وح سمكها بین ‪ٕ 50‬الى‬
‫‪universities, educational bodies, and the education sec-‬‬ ‫بنحو ‪ 2.7‬و‪ 3.5‬ملیار متر مكعب‪ .‬وقدرت الدراسات‬ ‫ت سطح األرض‪ .‬وأن ‪9‬‬
‫‪tor in raising environmental awareness among school‬‬
‫احتیاطیات المیاه الجوفیة بنحو ‪ 32000‬ملیار متر مكعب‬ ‫رئیسة والبقیة ثانوية‬
‫‪students in this respect.‬‬
‫(‪;Chowdhury & Al-Zahrani, 2013‬أطلس المیاه‪1984 ،‬؛‬ ‫ر المیاه يصل ٕالى ‪25‬‬
‫عیون المنطقة الشرقیة بالمملكة‬
Chapter Four
4 LAND

4
 4
‫يفرض ضغوطًا وتحديات على استدامة التنمية في تلك‬ ‫ كما تؤدي عمليات الردم والتجريف على‬.‫لخزن الكربون‬
‫ باإلضافة إلى أن ارتفاع مستوى سطح البحر يهدد‬.‫المناطق‬ ‫المدى الطويل إلى تدمير المجتمعات النباتية والحيوانية‬
.)10 ‫بغزو مياه البحر لخزانات المياه الجوفية الساحلية (شكل‬ ،‫الفطرية الساحلية ذات القيمة البيئية واالقتصادية‬

Chapter Four
‫وتهديدًا حقيقيًا للبيئات البحرية الحساسة كاألعشاب‬

LAND
‫تهدد السواحل عدة قضايا أهمها التلوث بالنفط‬
‫الناجم عن حوادث ناقالت البترول وتفريغ مياه التوازن بما‬
‫يشكل خطرًا على الثروة السمكية والموائل في البيئات‬
‫ من جانب آخر هناك‬.‫الساحلية ومناطق الترويح السياحية‬
‫ وزيادة‬،‫ والصحي‬،‫التلوث من شبكة الصرف الصناعي‬
.‫معدالت الترسيب التي تغير من طبيعة البيئة البحرية‬
‫مما يتطلب معه تحديد مواقع مراقبة دورية وتقييم‬
‫مستويات التلوث المختلفة ومدى تجاوزها للمعايير‬
.‫الوطنية أو اإلقليمية أو الدولية‬
‫ال عن البنية التحتية‬
‫البحرية وتركيبة ووفرة المجموعة الحيوانية من قواقع‬
.‫وقشريات وأسماك وغيرها‬
‫من جانب آخر تشكل اآلثار المتعددة الرتفاع مستوى سطح‬
‫البحر تهديدًا للتنمية والنشاطات االقتصادية –االجتماعية‬
‫) مما يعرض المشاريع التنموية الساحلية‬PME، 2011( ‫في‬
‫للخطر; فمعظم المنشآت النفطية قريبة من الساحل أو‬
،‫ والتحلية‬،‫ وكذا محطات توليد الطاقة الكهربائية‬،‫عليه‬
ً ‫ فض‬،‫والصرف الصحي والمصانع وغيرها‬

This chapter addresses the land use aspects in the Kingdom.

Alshaikh, 2013 : ‫المصدر‬

Land use change and degradation are among the most impor-
tant indicators of sustainable land use. Internationally, sustaina-
ble land use is linked to the 11th and 15th targets of the Sustain-
able Development Goals (SDGs) for protecting life on land and
promoting sustainable cities and communities, and this almost
represents a 12% contributionto the achievement ofthe SDGs.
The sustainable use of land is also linked to four indicators in
the Environmental Performance Index, two of which relate to
agriculture as to nitrogen efficiency and balance, and the other
two relate to the protection of terrestrial areas (national and in-
ternational). Moreover, sustainable land use contributes to the
Kingdom›s fulfillment of its international obligations and global
ranking in the domain of environment and sustainable develop-
ment. against desertification and overgrazing, and activating the agri-
)Alshaikh, 2013( 2003-1986 ‫ التغيرات في شاطئ جدة‬:)10( ‫شكل‬

Land is one of the basic components of environment, where it
provides the necessary circumstances for grazing and agricul-
ture as the oldest human crafts. It is an important pillar of the
economy and a basic element in its stability. The agricultural
sector contributes to supporting food security, diversifying re-
gional economies and guaranteeing population stability. Natural
pastures and forests are an important ecosystem and a renew-
able resource that ensures livestock stability and development
by providing free feeds, products and necessary services, in ad-
dition to its carbon sinkfeature. The Kingdom is making great
efforts to achieve the objectives of its 10th Development Plan,
aiming at strengthening the mechanisms for land protection
culture and grazing laws.
It is emphasized in this chapter that pasture is a national treas-
ure that must be developed and maintained. Most of the pas-
tures in the Kingdom suffer from a decline, reflected in shrink-
ing of their area and their low productivity. The current situation
requires the application of appropriate comprehensive and in-
tegrated environmental management methods to be managed
in accordance with the ecosystem approach and in harmony
with the conditions of each region, through cooperation among
citizens, ministries and other state institutions. This shall be ap-
plied through local bodies at Regions’ and Governorates’ levels
and with the participation and cooperation of the pastoral com-
Chapter Four
4 LAND

munity. . This will serve the best interest of pastoralists, breeders

and the environment as well.
This chapter also addresses the agricultural development in the
Kingdom, which is facing unfavorable conditions, namely limited
agricultural land, scarcity of water resources and harsh climatic
conditions. In this context, irrigated agriculture was the only way
to intensify agricultural production in order to reduce the food gap
and achieve self-sufficiency. In order to sustain agriculture, water
resources must be conserved, in addition to applying water-sav-
ing agricultural production techniques, producing crops with low
water needs, decreasing the use of agrochemicals, fertilizers and
pesticides, as well as supporting farmers› ability to use renew-
able energy sources such as solar and wind.
In this chapter, the report emphasizes that forests in the Kingdom
are unique ecosystems in vast deserts. They perform multiple
functions and provide economic, social and environmental ben-
efits, including fuel, soil stabilization, moisture and erosion pro-
tection, and climate mitigation and carbon storage. These fragile
and vulnerable systems face serious threats of urban and tourism
expansion, and pressures of infrastructure development, as well
as unsustainable investment, and climate change threats. These
pressures have intertwined to cause deforestation, including the
death of the juniper peaks and the low frequency of their renewal
in several areas of the Sarawat Mountains. Integrated watershed
management is a real opportunity to stop this deterioration and to
ensure continuity of life (water pathways) and continuous water
feeding of juniper trees.
‫‪Chapter Four‬‬
‫‪4‬‬ ‫‪LAND‬‬

‫الفصل الرابع‬
‫األراضي‬ ‫‪124‬‬

‫‪As for the coastal areas, this chapter observes that they are‬‬ ‫‪and opportunities. Land conservation, combating desertifica-‬‬
‫‪subject to several pressures, including landfill, and land-based‬‬ ‫‪tion, increasing vegetation cover,‬‬
‫‪ .2 .4‬أراضي المـــــراعي‬
‫‪reducing degraded areas in‬‬
‫‪ .1 .4‬مقدمة‬ ‫لرابع‬
‫‪pollutants, the most important of which are sewage‬‬ ‫‪and indus-‬‬
‫مساحتها واختالف‬ ‫‪all regions‬‬
‫المــوقع الجــغرافي للمملكة وكبر‬ ‫أدى‬ ‫العربية ‪of‬‬
‫السعودية‬ ‫بالمملكة ‪the‬‬
‫‪Kingdom‬‬ ‫‪require‬‬
‫استخدامات األراضي‬ ‫‪the establishmentof pas-‬تتنوع‬
‫‪trial wastewater without effective treatment and the impacts of‬‬
‫واختالف‬ ‫سطحها‪،‬‬ ‫مظاهر‬ ‫وتنوع‬ ‫الجيولوجية‬‫‪toral plants seed stations, seed banks,‬‬
‫تكويناتها‬ ‫محمية‬ ‫ومناطق‬ ‫زراعية‬ ‫ومشاريع‬ ‫وغابات‬ ‫مراع‬ ‫أراضي‬ ‫بين‬ ‫‪expansion in setting‬‬
‫مناخها من منطقة إلى أخرى‪ ،‬إلى وجود العديد من‬ ‫وسكنية وصناعية وتعدينية ومناطق ساحلية وغيرها‪.‬‬
‫‪climate change. Therefore, it is necessary to establish‬‬ ‫‪stand-‬‬ ‫‪upnatural‬‬
‫البيئات الطبيعية وبالتالي تباين وتنوع غطائها النباتي‬ ‫‪reserves,‬‬ ‫‪the‬‬ ‫‪distribution‬‬
‫وقد وفرت أراضي المملكة بمراعيها وغاباتها ومناطقها‬
‫‪of‬‬ ‫‪rain‬‬ ‫‪water and floods,‬‬
‫‪ards and specifications for wastewater discharge in the coastal‬‬ ‫‪the establishment‬‬
‫بين معمر وحولي ومزروع‪ .‬ويمثل معدل هطول األمطار‬
‫‪of feed‬‬
‫ومنتجات لقاطنيها تنوعت‬ ‫‪stores,‬‬
‫خدمات‬ ‫‪ in‬منذ القدم‬ ‫‪addition to encouraging‬‬
‫الزراعية‬ ‫‪the‬‬
‫‪ .2 .4‬أراضي المـــــراعي‬
‫على المملكة (شكل ‪ )1‬العامل األساس المؤثر في توزبع‬
‫النباتي‪of‬فيها‪environment, and periodic monitoring of the quality.‬‬ ‫‪coastal‬‬ ‫‪public‬‬
‫الطبيعية وبالتالي الغطاء‬ ‫‪ and private sectors to establish‬البيئات‬
‫بين إمدادية وتنظيمية وثقافية وداعمة‪ ،‬وحققت نسبة‬
‫من األمن الغذائي لسكانها رغم محدودية الموارد المائية‬
‫‪development‬‬
‫مساحتها واختالف‬ ‫‪projects‬‬
‫الجــغرافي للمملكة وكبر‬ ‫أدى المــوقع‬ ‫ضي بالمملكة العربية السعودية‬
‫‪waters. Also all estuaries should be under close‬‬ ‫‪control, while‬‬
‫تشغل المراعي الطبيعية في المملكة مساحة ‪171‬‬
‫ألهمية‪aimed at‬‬ ‫‪increasing‬‬
‫‪ green‬والتربة‪ .‬ونظرًا‬ ‫‪areas.‬‬
‫ومحددات المناخ‬ ‫‪ It‬فيها‪،‬‬ ‫‪is also important to address‬‬
‫تكويناتها الجيولوجية وتنوع مظاهر سطحها‪ ،‬واختالف‬
‫المتاحة‬
‫مناخها من منطقة إلى أخرى‪ ،‬إلى وجود العديد من‬
‫ت ومشاريع زراعية ومناطق محمية‬
‫عدينية ومناطق ساحلية وغيرها‪.‬‬
‫‪the programs of wastewater reuse for appropriate‬‬ ‫مناطق المملكة‬ ‫‪purposes‬‬
‫هكتار تتوزع على جميع‬ ‫مليون‪the‬‬ ‫‪causes‬‬ ‫‪of vegetation cover degradation‬‬
‫موارد األرض فقد حرص النظام العام للبيئة في المملكة‬
‫وتنوع غطائها النباتي‬‫‪(forestry,‬‬ ‫‪grazing,‬‬
‫الطبيعية وبالتالي تباين‬ ‫البيئات‬ ‫لكة بمراعيها وغاباتها ومناطقها‬
‫من خالل إلزامه بالتقييم البيئي للمشاريع‪ ،‬على حماية‬
‫‪should be reactivated, and the marine fishers need‬‬ ‫‪to be sub-‬‬
‫بنسب مختلفة ويتركز معظمها في المناطق التي‬
‫تتميز بمعدل هطول مطري أقل من ‪ 100‬ملم‪ /‬سنة‪.‬‬
‫‪application‬‬ ‫‪of deterrent‬‬
‫واالستنزاف‪،‬‬ ‫)‪systems‬‬
‫أراض ومياه من التدهور‬ ‫‪regions‬في‪all‬توزبع‪in‬‬ ‫‪of the Kingdom‬‬
‫بين معمر وحولي ومزروع‪ .‬ويمثل معدل هطول األمطار‬
‫الموارد الطبيعية من‬ ‫على المملكة (شكل ‪ )1‬العامل األساس المؤثر‬
‫دمات ومنتجات لقاطنيها تنوعت‬
‫ة وثقافية وداعمة‪ ،‬وحققت نسبة‬
‫‪jected to laboratory analysis programs to measure‬‬ ‫في المراعي‬ ‫‪level‬خاصة‪the‬‬ ‫المملكة بتنوع ‪of‬‬
‫أحيائي فريد‬ ‫‪and‬‬ ‫‪to encourage alternatives (importation‬‬
‫وتتميز‬ ‫يستوجب‬ ‫كمطلب‬ ‫والعمران‬ ‫األراضي‬ ‫استخدامات‬ ‫ووضع‬ ‫‪of firewood‬‬
‫الغطاء النباتي فيها‪.‬‬ ‫‪and‬الطبيعية وبالتالي‬
‫البيئات‬
‫كانها رغم محدودية الموارد المائية‬
‫التي تشكل الجزء األكبر من مراعي المنطقة العربية‬ ‫الدراسة والتحليل في التقييم البيئي للمشاريع‪.‬‬
‫هذه ‪pollution. Development projects on the coastal‬‬ ‫‪should‬على‪line‬‬ ‫‪also‬‬ ‫‪well‬في‪coal), as‬‬
‫بنسبة قدرها ‪ 35.8‬في المائة‪ .‬ويتم الحفاظ‬ ‫‪as‬األراضي‬ ‫‪raising‬‬
‫استخدام‬ ‫‪awareness‬‬
‫الفصل حالة‬ ‫يستعرض هذا‬ ‫‪and promoting shared re-‬‬
‫تشغل المراعي الطبيعية في المملكة مساحة ‪171‬‬
‫ات المناخ والتربة‪ .‬ونظرًا ألهمية‬

‫‪undertake necessary measures against the risk‬‬ ‫‪of‬تتبناه‬‫‪immersion‬الذي‬ ‫‪sponsibility.‬‬

‫البيئية من خالل نظام الحمى ‪Hema‬‬ ‫الثروة‬ ‫المملكة العربية السعودية والقضايا الرئيسة المرتبطة‬ ‫مليون هكتار تتوزع على جميع مناطق المملكة‬
‫ص النظام العام للبيئة في المملكة‬
‫يم البيئي للمشاريع‪ ،‬على حماية‬
‫المملكة (يونيب‪ ،‬جامعة الدول العربية‪ ،‬وسيداري‪.)2010 ،‬‬ ‫التيودور الحكومة واالدارات المحلية في التعامل معها‪.‬‬‫بنسب مختلفة ويتركز معظمها في المناطق بها‪،‬‬
‫‪due to rising sea level as one of the climate change impacts,‬‬ ‫تتميز بمعدل هطول مطري أقل من ‪ 100‬ملم‪ /‬سنة‪.‬‬ ‫اض ومياه من التدهور واالستنزاف‪،‬‬

‫‪where the climate change is a real challenge facing the land‬‬ ‫وتتميز المملكة بتنوع أحيائي فريد خاصة في المراعي‬ ‫ضي والعمران كمطلب يستوجب‬
‫التي تشكل الجزء األكبر من مراعي المنطقة العربية‬ ‫ي التقييم البيئي للمشاريع‪.‬‬
‫‪sector represented in the high temperatures, frequent cycles‬‬ ‫بنسبة قدرها ‪ 35.8‬في المائة‪ .‬ويتم الحفاظ على هذه‬ ‫صل حالة استخدام األراضي في‬
‫‪of drought and dust, decrease in rainfall, and threat to water‬‬ ‫الثروة البيئية من خالل نظام الحمى ‪ Hema‬الذي تتبناه‬ ‫ودية والقضايا الرئيسة المرتبطة‬

‫‪and food security and coastal areas. This requires taking the‬‬ ‫‪B‬‬
‫المملكة (يونيب‪ ،‬جامعة الدول العربية‪ ،‬وسيداري‪.)2010 ،‬‬ ‫دارات المحلية في التعامل معها‪.‬‬

‫‪necessary measures to ensure the sustainability of agriculture‬‬

‫‪by selecting the most drought-tolerant species, protected and‬‬
‫‪high-yielding crops, disbursing pastoral seeds, expanding pro-‬‬
‫‪tection boundaries for natural forests, implementing an inte-‬‬
‫‪grated coastal zone management system and mitigating the‬‬
‫شكل (‪ :)1‬أ‪ .‬المعدل السنوي لهطول األمطار في المملكة؛ و ب‪ .‬توزيع مساحة أراضي‬
‫‪risks of global climate change.‬‬ ‫الهطول المطري السنوي‬ ‫المراعي حسب معدل ‪A‬‬
‫‪Challenges and opportunities‬‬ ‫صحراوية متفرقة قليلة الكثافة ونسبة تغطيتها لسطح‬ ‫‪ Area in KSA Million Hectares‬وتتوزع المناطق الرعوية على معظم مناطق المملكة‪ ،‬ويقع‬
‫‪Annual Rain in KSA‬‬
‫األرض قليلة نسبيًا وتتسم بانخفاض طاقتها اإلنتاجية‬ ‫الجزء األكبر منها في المناطق الشمالية والشرقية وبنسبة‬
‫‪This chapter concludes by observing a range of challenges‬‬ ‫الرعوية وتذبذب اإلنتاج من سنة إلى أخرى ومن منطقة إلى‬ ‫أقل في المناطق الوسطى والجنوبية‪ ،‬حيث التربة الرملية‪،‬‬
‫عدل السنوي لهطول األمطار في المملكة؛ و ب‪ .‬توزيع مساحة أراضي‬
‫أخرى تبعًا لتذبذب كمية األمطار وانتظام توزيعها حيث‬ ‫والسهول الحصوية‪ ،‬والهضاب الصخرية (جدول ‪ .)1‬ولذلك‬ ‫معدل الهطول المطري السنوي‬
‫يكون معظم اإلنتاج الرعوي خالل مواسم األمطار (جدول ‪.)2‬‬ ‫فان معظم مراعي المملكة عبارة عن أعشاب وشجيرات‬

‫صحراوية متفرقة قليلة الكثافة ونسبة تغطيتها لسطح‬ ‫على معظم مناطق المملكة‪ ،‬ويقع‬
‫األرض قليلة نسبيًا وتتسم بانخفاض طاقتها اإلنتاجية‬ ‫مناطق الشمالية والشرقية وبنسبة‬
 4
Chapter Four
It is certain that there is a real need for provision of additional
fodder (green, concentrated and dried), infrastructure for graz-
ing and pastoralists, firewood and fuel alternatives. Also the
animal load (pastoral) should be controlled considering the fact
that the plant cover represents free feed; therefore, rehabilita-
tion of the pastures and forests’deteriorating sites is needed.
Moreover, the legal and regulatory framework should be fur-
ther developed to contribute to conservation and development
of natural graze land and enhancement of animal production.
National action, through the programs of international conven-
tions such as the Convention on Desertification, the Conven-
tion on Biological Diversity and the Climate Change Conven-
tion provides an opportunity to integrate the work in these
sectors into national development plans, and link the national
goals and commitments to the international objectives, in order
to achieve synergy among these programs and agreements.
No doubt that the increase of food gap as a result of increased
consumption rates beyond the available agricultural capacity
and limited agricultural potential of all available crops and wa-
ter resources necessitates adopting a decisive decision, Such
a decision has to balance food security requirements and
achieve self-sufficiency of strategic goods on one hand, while
ensuring the protection and sustainable development of water
resources and environment on the other hand.
The wise policy of reconsidering the production of wheat and
feed in the Kingdom is evidence of a clear understanding of
this issue, especially with the great competition between lo-
‫الفصل الرابع‬
‫األراضي‬ 136
LAND ‫البحر إلى مستويات استثنائية كما هو الحال في خليج‬ ‫وال شك أن االعتماد على المياه المحالة والتوسع في إنشاء‬
‫ جزء باأللف مقارنتًا‬60 ‫سلوى؛ إذ يصل معدل الملوحة فيه إلى‬ ‫محطات التحلية على سواحل المملكة يشكل ضغطًا كبيرًا‬
‫ إن ارتفاع الملوحة إلى‬.‫ جزء باأللف للمياه البحرية‬45-35 ‫مع‬ ‫ وشهدت‬.‫على األحياء المائية بالقرب من تلك المحطات‬
‫هذا المستوى له مردود سلبي على تركيبة تجمع األحياء‬ ‫المملكة إنشاء أكبر محطة لتحلية مياه البحر في العالم في‬
‫وخصوصًا تلك الحساسة كبعض أنواع شوكية الجلد (نجم‬ ‫مليوني‬
ْ ‫) بطاقة يومية تصل إلى‬11 ‫منطقة الجبيل (شكل‬
‫ كما أن المناطق الساحلية تضم العديد من الكائنات‬،)‫البحر‬ ‫ والمعروف عن هذه المحطات أنها تصرف مياهًا‬.‫متر مكعب‬
‫البحرية التي تتصف أطوارها األولى (يرقات ويافعات) بضيق‬ ‫ جزء في‬70 ‫شديدة الملوحة يصل تركيز األمالح فيها إلى‬
.)‫مدى تحملها للتغيرات البيئية (ملوحة وحرارة‬ ‫األلف الذي يؤول إلى رفع معدل تركيز الملوحة في مياه‬
Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment : ‫المصدر‬
and Security, 2009
‫يوميًا‬/‫ متر مكعب‬70000 ‫ التوزيع العالمي لطاقة التحلية للدول التي تنتج أكثر من‬:)11( ‫شكل‬
cal products and‫واستخدامها‬
‫ يدعم‬،‫استخدامًا سلميًا‬ foreign goods,
‫الرطبة‬ ‫األراضي‬ the‫البترول‬
‫وضبط‬ latter known
‫استغالل‬ ‫ الناجم عن‬for
‫ التلوث‬their
‫ إن منع‬high
‫إلى حد كبير مخزون الموارد السمكية على األرصفة‬ ‫التلوث الصناعي الذي تتأثر به البيئة البحرية وفي‬
quality and
‫البحرية‬ ‫البيئة‬affordable
‫ من أخصب مناطق‬prices.
‫القارية لكونها‬ ‫مقدمته التلوث بالمعادن الثقيلة مثل الزئبق‬
In order to sustain agriculture in‫البيئة‬
.‫غنى بالمواد العضوية والكائنات البحرية‬
ً ‫وأكثرها‬
dry-lands,
‫التي قد تصل إلى‬ including
‫المبيدات الزراعية‬the
‫ خاصة‬King-
‫والكادميوم والتلوث الناجم عن الصناعات الكيماوية؛‬
dom,‫البحرية‬
agricultural models and methods
‫إن الحد من التلوث البحري بمختلف مصادره بحاجة‬
‫الستراتيجية تقوم على مسوحات دورية للبيئة‬
must be reconsidered
‫ إضافة إلى منع التلوث الحراري الناتج عن‬،‫البحرية‬
‫محطات التحلية والمياه المستخدمة في عمليات‬
while the types of crops with comparative advantage should
‫والساحلية ضمن برنامج مراقبة شامل لمحطات تغطي‬ ‫التبريد في معامل الطاقة والمحطات الحرارية وحماية‬
be maintained. Also water consumption should be made more
efficient; thus raising the productivity of the area unit against
efficiency of its water usage. Modern technologies provide op-
portunities to secure food without compromising limited and
depleted water resources, thereby achieving the highest out-
put and yield for the used water unit. In addition, it is necessary
to address integrated pest control in greenhouses, to identify
pesticide residues on crops produced, guard against geneti-
cally modified crops and to gradually shift to organic farming
systems to save fertilizers and pesticides.
Chapter Five
5 BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

5
Chapter Five
5 BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

This chapter addresses the land use aspects in the Kingdom.

Land use change and degradation are among the most im-
portant indicators of sustainable land use. Internationally, sus-
tainable land use is linked to the 11th and 15th targets of the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for protecting life on
land and promoting sustainable cities and communities, and
this almost represents a 12% contributionto the achievement
ofthe SDGs. The sustainable use of land is also linked to four
indicators in the Environmental Performance Index, two of
which relate to agriculture as to nitrogen efficiency and bal-
ance, and the other two relate to the protection of terrestrial
areas (national and international). Moreover, sustainable land
use contributes to the Kingdom›s fulfillment of its international
obligations and global ranking in the domain of environment
and sustainable development. activating the agriculture and grazing laws.
Land is one of the basic components of environment, where It is emphasized in this chapter that pasture is a national
it provides the necessary circumstances for grazing and agri- treasure that must be developed and maintained. Most of
culture as the oldest human crafts. It is an important pillar of the pastures in the Kingdom suffer from a decline, reflected
the economy and a basic element in its stability. The agricul- in shrinking of their area and their low productivity. The cur-
tural sector contributes to supporting food security, diversify- rent situation requires the application of appropriate compre-
ing regional economies and guaranteeing population stability. hensive and integrated environmental management methods
Natural pastures and forests are an important ecosystem and to be managed in accordance with the ecosystem approach
a renewable resource that ensures livestock stability and de- and in harmony with the conditions of each region, through
velopment by providing free feeds, products and necessary cooperation among citizens, ministries and other state institu-
services, in addition to its carbon sinkfeature. The Kingdom is tions. This shall be applied through local bodies at Regions’
making great efforts to achieve the objectives of its 10th De- and Governorates’ levels and with the participation and co-
velopment Plan, aiming at strengthening the mechanisms for operation of the pastoral community. . This will serve the best
land protection against desertification and overgrazing, and interest of pastoralists, breeders and the environment as well.
Chapter Five
5 BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
This chapter also addresses the agricultural development in the
Kingdom, which is facing unfavorable conditions, namely limited
agricultural land, scarcity of water resources and harsh climatic
conditions. In this context, irrigated agriculture was the only way
to intensify agricultural production in order to reduce the food
gap and achieve self-sufficiency. In order to sustain agriculture,
water resources must be conserved, in addition to applying wa-
ter-saving agricultural production techniques, producing crops
with low water needs, decreasing the use of agrochemicals, fer-
tilizers and pesticides, as well as supporting farmers› ability to
use renewable energy sources such as solar and wind.
In this chapter, the report emphasizes that forests in the King-
dom are unique ecosystems in vast deserts. They perform
multiple functions and provide economic, social and environ-
mental benefits, including fuel, soil stabilization, moisture and
erosion protection, and climate mitigation and carbon storage.
These fragile and vulnerable systems face serious threats of
urban and tourism expansion, and pressures of infrastructure
development, as well as unsustainable investment, and climate
change threats. These pressures have intertwined to cause
deforestation, including the death of the juniper peaks and the
low frequency of their renewal in several areas of the Sarawat
Mountains. Integrated watershed management is a real oppor-
tunity to stop this deterioration and to ensure continuity of life
(water pathways) and continuous water feeding of juniper trees.
As for the coastal areas, this chapter observes that they are
subject to several pressures, including landfill, and land-based
pollutants, the most important of which are sewage and indus-
trial wastewater without effective treatment and the impacts of
climate change. Therefore, it is necessary to establish stand-
ards and specifications for wastewater discharge in the coastal
environment, and periodic monitoring of the quality of coastal
waters. Also all estuaries should be under close control, while
the programs of wastewater reuse for appropriate purposes
should be reactivated, and the marine fishers need to be sub-
jected to laboratory analysis programs to measure the level of
pollution. Development projects on the coastal line should also
undertake necessary measures against the risk of immersion
due to rising sea level as one of the climate change impacts,
where the climate change is a real challenge facing the land
sector represented in the high temperatures, frequent cycles
of drought and dust, decrease in rainfall, and threat to water
and food security and coastal areas. This requires taking the
necessary measures to ensure the sustainability of agriculture
by selecting the most drought-tolerant species, protected and
high-yielding crops, disbursing pastoral seeds, expanding pro-
tection boundaries for natural forests, implementing an integrat-
ed coastal zone management system and mitigating the risks of
global climate change.
Challenges and opportunities
This chapter concludes by observing a range of challenges
and opportunities. Land conservation, combating desertifica-
tion, increasing vegetation cover, reducing degraded areas in
Chapter Five
5 BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
all regions of the Kingdom require the establishmentof pas-
toral plants seed stations, seed banks, expansion in setting
upnatural reserves, the distribution of rain water and floods,
the establishment of feed stores, in addition to encouraging
the public and private sectors to establish development pro-
jects aimed at increasing green areas. It is also important to
address the causes of vegetation cover degradation (forestry,
grazing, application of deterrent systems) in all regions of the
Kingdom and to encourage alternatives (importation of fire-
wood and coal), as well as raising awareness and promoting
shared responsibility.
It is certain that there is a real need for provision of additional
fodder (green, concentrated and dried), infrastructure for graz-
ing and pastoralists, firewood and fuel alternatives. Also the
animal load (pastoral) should be controlled considering the
fact that the plant cover represents free feed; therefore, re-
habilitation of the pastures and forests’deteriorating sites is
needed. Moreover, the legal and regulatory framework should
be further developed to contribute to conservation and devel-
opment of natural graze land and enhancement of animal pro-
duction. National action, through the programs of international
conventions such as the Convention on Desertification, the
Convention on Biological Diversity and the Climate Change
Convention provides an opportunity to integrate the work in
these sectors into national development plans, and link the
national goals and commitments to the international objec-
tives, in order to achieve synergy among these programs and
agreements.
No doubt that the increase of food gap as a result of increased
consumption rates beyond the available agricultural capac-
ity and limited agricultural potential of all available crops and
water resources necessitates adopting a decisive decision,
Such a decision has to balance food security requirements
and achieve self-sufficiency of strategic goods on one hand,
while ensuring the protection and sustainable development of
water resources and environment on the other hand.
The wise policy of reconsidering the production of wheat and
feed in the Kingdom is evidence of a clear understanding of
this issue, especially with the great competition between lo-
cal products and foreign goods, the latter known for their high
quality and affordable prices.
In order to sustain agriculture in dry-lands, including the King-
dom, agricultural models and methods must be reconsidered
while the types of crops with comparative advantage should
be maintained. Also water consumption should be made more
efficient; thus raising the productivity of the area unit against
efficiency of its water usage. Modern technologies provide op-
portunities to secure food without compromising limited and
depleted water resources, thereby achieving the highest out-
put and yield for the used water unit. In addition, it is necessary
to address integrated pest control in greenhouses, to identify
pesticide residues on crops produced, guard against geneti-
cally modified crops and to gradually shift to organic farming
systems to save fertilizers and pesticides.
Chapter Six
6 WASTE

6
Chapter Six
6 WASTE

This chapter reviews the state of national integrated waste

management. The ratio index of the treated waste quan-
tity to the quantity produced is considered one of the most
important indicators in measuring the integrated waste
management. This management is closely linked to the
GAMEP plan to implement the Integrated Waste Manage-
ment as part of the Kingdom’s National Transformation
Program (NTP).
Internationally, the waste management is linked to the
11th and 12th sustainable development goals related to
the local and sustainable cities and communities, con-
sumption and production, representing a 12% contribution
to the achievement of the sustainable development goals.
Waste management is related to 3 indicators mentioned
in the Environmental Performance Index, concerning air
quality, protection of land and species. The improvement
of the integrated waste management contributes to the
Kingdom›s fulfillment of its international obligations and
global ranking in the field of environment and sustainable
development.
There is no doubt that the production of municipal solid
waste represents a major challenge to the municipal ad-
ministrations in the Kingdom because it requires sound and
sustainable management that preserves human health, re-
sources, environment and economy. With the increase in
population and the changing production and consumption
Chapter Six
6 WASTE

patterns, the quantities of waste produced increased and is the means for solving many problems related to munici-
their sources varied. The new Municipal Solid Waste Man- pal solid waste in the Kingdom.
agement Law and Regulation has many environmental, This chapter emphasizes that the success of integrated
economic, social and health benefits as it is considered a solid waste management requires raising the community’s
source of raw materials and energy. It also provides many awareness of the need to reduce waste and the importance ‫س‬
jobs opportunities in the field of recycling. of sorting from the source, while stimulating the economy
In addition to the municipal solid waste, there is the haz- and providing the favorable environment that is legislative-
ardous industrial, medical and electronic waste that re- ly and institutionally capable of controlling the production
quire management that is consistent with their nature and of waste, as well as sorting and recyclingit. The prepara-
quantities produced, in a way that can protects all environ- tion of specifications for the imported and produced mate-
mental mediums from its impacts. rials made by the Saudi Organization for Standardization,
This chapter focuses on a series of important axes and Metrology and Quality is absolutely necessary to reduce
messages. The rapid increase in the quantity and types
of municipal solid waste in Saudi Arabia is a multifaceted
problem for municipalities in regions and governorates.
The increase in population, the surge in consumption rate
and the change in its patterns, the accelerated pace of
urban, commercial development, the increase in produc-
tion, and the accompanying development of health care
and sanitation services in cities led to a steady increase
in the quantities of waste produced. Despite the great ef-
forts exerted by many municipalities to address the waste
problem, some gaps remain to be filled in this field. The
Municipal Solid Waste Management Law and Regulation
Chapter Six
6 WASTE
waste, quantitatively and qualitatively in order to avoid the
circulation of cheap, low-life goods, which are hazardous
to humans and the environment.
The report indicates that most of the hazardous waste in
the Kingdom results from industrial, health care activities,
commercial and service activities, domestic consumption
of batteries, electronic supplies and others. In view of the
grave consequences of this type of waste on human health,
living organisms and the environment, it is important to fur-
ther develop the existing Hazardous Waste Control Rules
and Procedures given the General Environmental Law and
Regulation into an integrated system for hazardous waste
management, strengthen monitoring, control and enforce-
ment of the principle of «the polluter pays» stipulated in
the General Environmental Law and Regulation to protect
the environment and the community against their dangers.
The legal framework for medical waste management in
the Kingdom is governed by the GCC Unified Health Care
Management Law and Regulation that specifies the roles
of the involved three competent government organiza-
tion in managing medical waste: the Ministry of Health re-
sponsible for in hospital for hazardous and non-hazardous
medical waste management, including separation from
nonhazardous waste and temporary storage; GAMEP re-
sponsible for accrediting and controlling performance of
hazardous medical management private service provides
that government and private hospital are obliged to con-
tract them for transportation, treatment and safe disposal
of hazardous medical waste; and the Ministry of Munici-
pal and Rural Affairs responsible for managing landfills for
non-hazardous medical waste, such landfills are designed
and built based on GAMEP developed specifications and
standards.
The medical waste is also increasing with the development
of health care services in the Kingdom. The difference in
their sources and types results in harmful impacts on hu-
mans and the environment is clearly distinguished in the
GCC Unified Health Care Management Law and Regula-
tion, the definition of hazardous medical waste identified
to include dangerous components of infectious, chemical
and radioactive materials.
Effective enforcement of the existing legal framework will
ensure that medical hazardous waste is managed proper-
ly, thus mitigating health care waste risks, which may oth-
erwise extend when they are landfilled without treatment,
leading to pollution of soil and groundwater.
 Chapter Six
6 WASTE

Sound management of municipal, industrial and hazardous
wastes is a key objective within the GAMEP NTP. Two initiatives
were developed to realize this objective: control over the sound
management of municipal solid waste and encourage recycling
thereof, and development of an integrated industrial and hazard-
ous waste management framework.
This chapter emphasizes that waste management in the King-
dom is a participatory process that is built on unifying efforts to
protect human health and the environment. It requires a com-
prehensive national waste sector assessment study and solid
waste management plan that are built on supporting legislation,
community awareness, sound institutional structure, economic
support and modern technologies that provide an integrated
waste management, from production until disposal.
of environmental awareness, the weak consumption culture and
the growing wastefulness of the society, in addition to production
of waste in huge quantities in some locations during short sea-
‫الفصل السادس‬
sons. Moreover, the lack of an integrated waste management
‫النفايات‬ 194
system, inadequate industrial and hazardous waste regulations
to limit waste production, the absence of a waste sorting system
from the source, inadequate infrastructure to manage the waste,
and the lack of documented data on waste quantities, types and
characteristics, all these pose a challenge to their wise and seri-
ous management.
The low cost of landfilling compared to the high cost of waste
collection, sorting and recycling, is another challenge to con-
vince decision-makers to overlook the long-term economic cost

Challenges and opportunities

This chapter concludes with a series of important facts, one
of which that waste management is among of the most impor-
tant environmental problems confronting the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia, taking into account the increasing quantity of solid mu-
nicipal waste and its effects on public health, environment and
the economy. The challenges facing waste management in the
Kingdom are, numerous, the most important of which are the
increase in the quantity of waste produced, its diversity, the lack
5
07

09

11

‫ هـ‬3
15

‫ هـ‬7
19

‫ هـ‬21

‫ هـ‬3
25
14

1
40

2
14
14
14
14
14
14

14

14
14
‫هـ‬

‫هـ‬
‫هـ‬
‫هـ‬
‫هـ‬

‫هـ‬

‫الموزع منها عل‬ ‫ما تم نقلة للدول اإلسالمية‬

Chapter Six
6 WASTE
of waste management, including health, environmental, and
economic impacts as well as human well-being. Recycling the
waste is an investment opportunity that strengthens the national
economy, it helps create industries for domestic consumption or
export, avails jobs opportunities and preserves the environment.
With regard to the hazardous waste, where the industrial sec-
tor is its main source, it is still in the early stages of adoption of
the product life cycle policy, cleaner production mechanism and
ISO 14001 for the environmental management that takes into
account the integration of dimensions into the product specifi-
cations and minimizing the generation of solid and hazardous
wastes from the source. The end of the pipe control methods
governing the production and disposal of hazardous wastes and
the failure to allocate specific disposal sites constitute a loop-
hole that encouraged the disposal of this type of waste without
treatment in random unpopulated areas.
As for the health care waste, this chapter concluded that this
type of waste is growing rapidly due to the increase in popula-
tion and the development of health services in all regions of the
Kingdom. It has become an investment opportunity, especially
with the limited companies specialized in the treatment and dis-
posal of this type of waste in addition to the shortage of the
qualified human resources due to the risk of infection, transmis-
sion of diseases and their vectors, and the threat to human life
and well-being. It is so imperative to manage these wastes by
applying safe and appropriate treatment techniques.
Regarding the growing electronic waste, it has been highlighted
that it poses a threat to the health and environment due to its
hazardous compounds. In the meantime, it has become one of
the most important industries in the world where its components
are used to produce new industries internally, or for export.
There is an urgent need to develop a system or legislation on
how to deal with electronic waste, find new centers for collection
and recycling, and compel all the electronics manufacturers or
agents to developrecycling programs.
Investment in waste recycling is an opportunity that requires
supporting legislation and regulatory mechanisms, such as the
provision of concessional loans to encourage the private sector
to expand into an advanced industry to recover the resources
and protect them from unfair competition. It is also essential to
raise the environmental awareness of the importance of ration-
alizing consumption, and the reuse practices, in addition tothe
necessity of: waste sorting - which helps increase the economic
value - the efficient treatment, energy extraction, conversion of
waste into organic fertilizers, or treatment thereof before reach-
ing the landfill for burial.
In addition to awareness, it is also vital to rehabilitate the work-
force, encourage studies and research, and build a database in
this domain.
Chapter Seven
7 ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT

7
Chapter Seven
7 ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT
This report concludes with the Seventh chapter that ad-
dresses environmental management and outlines the
chronological evolution of the environmental status in
Saudi Arabia. Over the course of more than two decades,
the Kingdom has devoted special attention to the environ-
ment which included preserving it, developing its resources
and protecting it from pollution, in order to create harmony
among the sustainable development requirements and
promote development indicators at the macro, sectoral
and spatial levels. This special attention was culminated
in 1412H/1992 by the promulgation of the Kingdom’s Basic
Law of Governance. Article 32 of this law states, «the State
shall endeavor to preserve, protect, develop the environ-
ment and prevent its pollution.”
The seventh and final chapter focused on a number of im-
portant axes. It pointed out that the poor coordination be-
tween GAMEP as the competent agency responsible for
enforcing the General Environmental Law and the various
governmental and private agencies responsible for protect-
ing the environment as an important national environmen-
tal management weakness. GAMEP has proposed to the
Saudi Council of Ministers the establishment of environ-
mental management business units at governmental bod-
ies concerned with environment that is linked to a strategic
environmental management business unit at GAMEP, and
has developed the mission, objectives, tasks, and reporting
templates for the proposed government entities environ-
mental management business units. GAMEP has already
enforced the establishment of such business units at all
new government and private development projects and
facilities, as part of the environmental impact assessment
process and conditional to granting operation permits.
This chapter also calls for attaching further attention to the
information related to the State of the Environment in the
Kingdom for the purpose of providing national data on en-
vironmental conditions. The shortcomings in this domain
make it difficult to formulate policies and develop strate-
gies and plans that include measurable objectives, in ad-
dition to the possibility of exploiting external data. Hence,
measures should be undertaken for the implementation of
the planned comprehensive nationwide environment sur-
vey, the strategic environmental information center hosting
environmental sustainability indictors’ database, and plans
and procedures for data and indicator exchange within a
national environmental information network.
In undertaking its role as the competent authority entrusted
Chapter Seven
7 ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT
with enforcing the General Environmental Law, GAMEP
suffers from insufficient financial resources and lack of
competencies in its various departments, which negatively
affects the performance of its functions. In this context, it
is necessary to increase the government’s financial alloca-
tions and support GAMEP initiative towards establishing a
national environmental fund and adopting complementary
economic incentives, in addition to building capacities of
young national cadres and providing them with attractive
job opportunities in the business of protecting the environ-
ment.
This chapter has dedicated special attention to the eco-
nomic cost of environmental degradation. These costs are
often invisible, but they are real, substantial and growing,
resulting in significant health and social impacts and un-
sustainable use of natural resources, which undermines
economic development. Therefore, it is essential to review
the General Environmental Law and Regulation to keep
abreast of the national and global developments and the
requirements of the development, and include them in the
economic mechanism, in order to better preserve resourc-
es from depletion, protect the environment and promote
human well-being.
Coordinated environmental protection actions among the
various parties and individuals to participate in order to up-
hold Article 32 of the Kingdom’s Basic Law of Governance.
Chapter Seven
7 ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT

To promote the environment, it is necessary to develop relation to this issue, especially the nearby communities. It
and enforce national strategies on the environment, and is important to prepare programs in education and training
enhance licensing and inspection processes, in addition in the field of disaster risk reduction in schools and local
to updating the national standards, imposing the need to communities.
obtain the ISO 14001 certificate, and boosting the coopera-
tion with the community and the public and private sectors. Challenges and opportunities
This cooperation can be established through the prepara- Chapter 7 concludes that the GAMEP undertakes to pro-
tion and revision of strategies and plans related to environ- mote the environmental action and overcome obstacles
mental conventions, launching awareness programs and and difficulties encountered ‫السعودية‬
in the‫العربية‬
field of national
‫المملكة‬ environ-
‫تقرير حالة البيئة‬ 215
the activation of scientific research mechanisms in various mental management, including the elimination of functions
environmental fields. duplication and the multiplicity of environmental regulations
As for disasters, Chapter 7 shows that they are causing
a decline in development, costing an increasing share of
the annual GDP, and causing loss of living assets, espe-
cially for low-income families. These losses are increasing
in large gatherings areas. Disaster risk is likely to be wors-
ened by climate change, so it is essential to undertake the
following measures: integrate disaster risk into sustainable
development plans; incorporate best practices before, dur-
ing and after disasters in development plans; further de-
velop existing early warning systems, update geomagnetic
databases of potential hazard sites, assess vulnerability
and susceptibility, raise the awareness of the community in
‫ النظام اآللي لإلنذار المبكر في الهيئة العامة لألرصاد وحماية البيئة‬:)5( ‫شكل‬

‫سواء أثناء الكارثة‬

ً ‫مع المجتمعات المحلية والقطاع الخاص‬ ‫ضعفًا‬، »‫ وفق «مؤشر التعرض للخطر‬،‫هذا وتعاني المملكة‬
‫أو بعدها؛ كذلك أهمية االستفادة من التقنيات الحديثة في‬ ‫في قدرات التصدي للكوارث البيئية والطبيعية ونقص‬
‫مجال التبليغ عن الكوارث ومواجهتها والمساعدة واإلنقاذ‬ ‫ وهو ما‬.‫القدرة على التكيف مع المتغيرات الطبيعية‬
.‫وأهمية تحليل وتوثيق الكوارث‬ ‫يتطلب انتهاج إدارة متكاملة لمواجهة مخاطر الكوارث‬
،)‫وتأثيراتها تشمل مراحل ما قبل الخطر (مرحلة االستعداد‬
‫ الشراكة مع المجتمع المدني والقطاع‬.5 .7 ‫ ومرحلة ما بعد الخطر‬،)‫ومواجهة الخطر (مرحلة التنفيذ‬
‫الخاص‬ ‫ تعد المرحلة األولى ذات أهمية كبرى إذ‬.)‫(مرحلة التقييم‬
Chapter Seven
7 ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT

‫تقرير حالة البيئة المملكة العربية السعودية‬ 221

and legislations between the concerned agencies, expansion of ‫السنة‬

35 ‫األداء البيئي للمملكة‬
e-government applications, unification of all environmental stand- 2014 178
ards and licenses, and encompassing all environmental violation 2013
2012
82
132
and penalties under the umbrella of the General Environment 2011
2010
99
163
Law and Regulation. 2009
2008
78
149
A series of studies carried out by GAMEP over the past years 2007
2006 136
have revealed several other weaknesses the General Environ- 2005 146
2004
mental Law, including: lack of consideration of the national obli- 2003
2002 121
gations resulting from the Kingdom›s entry into the international 2001 122
‫عدد الدول‬
environmental conventions ratified after the issuance of the Law 0 50 100 150 200

in 2002; limited participation of the community in environmental ‫ تطور األداء البيئي للمملكة وفق دليل األداء البيئي العالمي واعداد الدول من‬:)6( ‫شكل‬
2014 – 2001 ‫عام‬
protection and environmental decision-making; lack of special-
ized courts to deal with environmental issues, the emphasis on ties to comply with established and new environmental standards
the method of control and control in the field of environmental and good practice guidelines. Among the GAMEP private sector
management, targeting environmental compliance without en- participation initiatives is partnering with private environmental
couraging excellence in environmental performance. There is a training institutes and the establishment of individual freelancing
clear need to update and modernize the current General Environ- professional environmental licensing system.
mental Law. The simplicity of the information on the evaluation of the State of
The lack of trained human resources is also an administrative the Environment2016 can ‫لعام‬hinder
‫ العالمي‬the
‫البيئي‬realization
‫وفق دليل األداء‬of‫المملكة‬
a full‫ترتيب‬
environmen-
:)7( ‫شكل‬

challenge, due to the poor training of staff working in GAMEP and tal evaluation in the Kingdom. To counter this challenge GAMEP
the governmental bodies responsible for the environment. The sought
‫على‬ the ‫البيئية‬
‫ومنها القضاء‬ support of ‫في‬
‫مجال اإلدارة‬ the‫تواجهها‬
Saudi Council of Ministers.2014to‫وحتى‬stress 2001 ‫عام‬
‫االزدواجية في االختصاصات وتعدد األنظمة والتشريعات‬
implementation of GAMEP NTP environmental enforcement ini- on ‫التوسع‬
‫في‬ the mandate
‫ وكذلك‬،‫المعنية‬of‫األجهزة‬
the General
‫ البيئية بين‬Environmental Law
‫األداء البيئي للمملكة لعام‬ ‫ قيمة‬and
)7 ‫(شكل‬ Regula-
‫فيما يبين‬

tiatives will increase the market demand for environmental audi-
tors and specialists needed by both government and private facili-
tion that all concerned government authorities provide GAMEP
‫األنظمة‬ ‫جميع‬ ‫وتوحيد‬ .‫اإللكترونية‬ ‫الحكومة‬ ‫تطبيقات‬ ‫إليالء‬ ‫الحاجة‬ ‫يعكس‬ ‫ما‬ ،100 ‫من‬ 68.63 ‫بلغت‬ ‫والتي‬ 2016
‫والمعايير والمقاييس البيئية والتراخيص وضبط‬ ‫معظم القطاعات إهتمامًا أكثر وخاصة قطاعات الزراعة‬
environmental
‫العام‬ ‫ تحت مظلة النظام‬data
‫العقوبات‬and‫وفرض‬information
‫المخالفات‬ about the.‫والطاقة‬
environmental per-
‫ والمناخ‬،‫ومصايد األسماك‬
‫ ويشكل‬.‫للبيئة والئحته التنفيذية وتحت إشرافها‬
‫النقص في الموارد البشرية المدربة والعاملة تحديًا إداريًا‬ ‫ التحديات والفرص‬.8 .7
‫ناجمًا عن ضعف تدريب العاملين في الهيئة العامة‬ ‫تعمل الهيئة العامة لألرصاد وحماية البيئة على النهوض‬
‫لألرصاد وحماية البيئة والجهات الحكومية المسئولة‬ ‫بالعمل البيئي والتغلب على العوائق والصعوبات التي‬
Chapter Seven
7 ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT
formance of their facilities. Furthermore, most of GAMEP NTP
initiatives include environment environmental monitoring equip-
ment in fixed and mobile stations and survey component. Moreo-
ver, a major initiative was developed for the establishment of an
environmental and meteorological information management and
early warning center.
Another significant challenge facing environmental management
in the Kingdom is the lack of adequate financial resources al-
located in GAMEP annual facial budget to manage the national
environmental protection actions and activate the environmen-
tal conservation programs in the Kingdom. GAMEP has recently
conducted a comparative study about legal, organizational and
administrative frameworks for government sponsored environ-
mental funds operating in Arab, western and eastern counties.
The study concluded with proposed legal text, organizational
structure and administrative plans for the establishment of the
Saudi environmental fund.
Another GAMEP NTP initiative was developed targeting raising
environmental awareness among citizens and some officials in
the public and private sectors.
The great number of facilities requiring periodic inspection, cou-
pled with the lack of qualified personnel to carry out inspections,
and the presence of some administrative obstacles pose chal-
lenges to GAMEP in carrying out pollution monitoring and control
mandate. The bulk of GAMEP NTP initiatives contain automatic
environmental monitoring components, and GAMEP direction to-
ward to expanding its environmental inspection program in part-
nership with the private sector will elevate current difficulties in
effectively undertaking its role in pollution monitoring and pollu-
tion control.
GAMEP is building a comprehensive database of inspection re-
ports, violations and penalties, forms a good mechanism which
enables the follow-up process between the concerned govern-
ment authorities and private facilities.
Despite the fact that the private sector contributes about one third
of the GDP and generates waste and pollutants from its activi-
ties, its contribution to environmental management is still limited.
More efforts are needed to activate this sector to assume its en-
vironmental and social responsibility.
The production and applications of some modern industries, such
as the manufacture of solar panels, and the promotion of their
use in the Kingdom, where solar energy is available most of the
year, are urgent tools that aim to reduce the use of energy subsi-
dized buildings by at least 30% to lessen the burden on the State
budget. As mentioned the Atmosphere and Air Quality Chapter,
the energy sector initiatives within the NTP commit to build its
renewable energy capacity and enable its contribution to the na-
tional energy mix. The savings in the oil resources are diverted to
Chapter Seven
7 ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT
meet other requirements such as desalinated water, thus achiev-
ing the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Environmental awareness programs should also be intensified
to include: awareness of the importance of preserving the envi-
ronment; spreading and preserving the concept of the environ-
ment; reducing the environmental footprint in schools, institutes
and universities; and launching educational programs through
the audio and visual media.
In addition, efforts should be geared towards spreading the
culture of rational consumption of natural resources, reducing
waste, in addition to adoption of recycling techniques to diminish
the emission of air pollutants and greenhouse gases resulting
from pressure to cater for the growing needs of electricity and
water.
The 10th Development Plan operational performance goals and
indicators, as well as its executive policies have been identified
to allow for the expansion and modernization of pollutant and
satellite monitoring networks, as well as the environmental in-
spection program and procedures of pollution reporting. Meas-
ures also included activation of the executive programs affiliated
to the national health and environment strategy, and strengthen-
ing the national program of chemical safety.
As for the priorities, the review and further development of the
General Environmental Law and Regulation. Importance is also
attached to strengthening the role of the environment as a major
mechanism to follow-up environmental performance in coordi-
nation with relevant institutions and organizations in the areas
of environmental protection and the preservation of natural re-
sources. Priorities also include adopting incentives and eco-
nomic instruments that complement those stipulated in General
Environmental Law and Regulation, such as recovering cost of
environmental inspection visits for those facilities found to be
in violation of environmental standards; imposing a charge for
services provided by GAMEP to other government agencies and
the private sector, such as reviewing environmental studies and
qualification of companies to practice environmental services.
This chapter emphasizes the importance of creating a National
Center for Crisis and Disaster Management, developing a strat-
egy for natural disaster risk reduction and disaster management
efforts, reviewing plans for management.
There is an urgent need to further develop GAMEP early warn-
ing system to include environmental as well as meteorological
emergency events, and maximize the use of the modern tech-
niques of SMS messages, email, and social media in conveying
the warning messages on the other. The GAMEP NTP initiative
to establish an environmental and meteorological information
management and early warning center shall cater for satisfying
this need.
Chapter Seven
7 ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT
It is equally important to introduce specialized units on disasters
and ways of dealing with them within the curriculum and the educa-
tional activities of various loops, linking that with training for educa-
tional bodies and working on the continued development of volun-
teer programs in general and higher education, as well as carrying
on studies and research and organizing conferences and debates.
It is equally necessary to develop information and training programs
to raise awareness of all sectors of the society and to use all avail-
able modern technologies and media to optimally act before, during
and after a disaster.
It is imperative to make use of international expertise in facing cri-
ses and disasters, transfer of knowledge and technologies and best
practices against disasters in all their phases, through partnership
and networking with local and international organizations. It is im-
portant to exchange information with other States on means of fac-
ing disasters and activation ofthe relevant conventions and proto-
cols, in particular the Convention on Climate Change, the Nagoya
framework for disasters risk reduction, what is being prepared for
after 2015, and the Arabic Initiative during the period 2012-2020.
The Kingdom Vulnerability Index shows that there is weakness in
the capacity to address environmental and natural disasters and a
lack of ability to adapt to natural changes. This necessitates imple-
mentation of a policy for integrated disaster risk management.
Efforts should be unified and a strategy must be developed to re-
duce disasters through establishing the aforementioned National
Centre for Crisis and Disaster Management in the Kingdom to plan
for disaster management to ensure capacity-building, build data
bases, complete reports on disasters, and ensure the inclusion of
disaster risk within the Kingdom’s sustainable development plans..
It is necessary to adopt periodic inspection mechanism for facto-
ries, follow-up torrents drainage, take samples of the wastewater to
be analyzed in specialized laboratories, make the necessary modi-
fications or cessation of activity in order to prevent any contamina-
tion of environmental media. The GAMEP NTP initiative to establish
source waste water and affluent treated water monitoring program
pose an opportunity for countering this challenge.
The following measures will reduce disaster risks and help to adapt
to its effects: investing in infrastructure, land-use planning, deter-
mining safe land for low income citizens, further development and
integration of national early warning systems, rainwater drainage
maintenance, safety assessment of schools and health facilities,
enforcement of regulations and compliance to standards, protection
of ecosystems and natural elements, in addition to a proactive effort
to extend the capabilities of natural disaster management.
Financing rapid response to accidents, emergencies and envi-
ronmental disasters, and the rehabilitation of the affected areas
are among the key objectives of the proposed Saudi environ-
mental fund.
Keeping up with the National Transformation Program 2030 Vision
The General Authority for Meteorology and
Environmental Protection has developed many
major initiatives in the field of sustainable
development within the framework of the 2030
Vision.
The National Transformation Program 2020
has identified many strategic environmental
goals according to 2030 Vision. This includes
“Preservance of Vegetation of Pastures and
Forests” which is correlated with the Vision
2030 objective: “Safeguard the Environment and
Natural Resources”. To promote the people’s lives
the National Transformation Program indicayes;
“Improve Service Quality” which correlates with
the Vision 2030 objective: “Enhance the Livability
of Saudi Cities”. The National Transformation
Program objectives also include “Improve
Performance, Productivity and Flexibility of Public
Authorities” which is correlates with the Vision
2030 objective: “Expand Service Coverage
livability of Saudi Cities.
Consistent with the above objectives entrusted to
it, the Commission has adopted many programs
including the establishment of the Center
for Environmental Information, Meteorology
and Early Warning of Weather and Pollution,
activation of the management of domestic and
industrial waste, monitoring the sources of
drainage, environmental testing of diesel stations
and expanding remote sensing services..
The Commission›s initiatives also include the
establishment of a central unit for air quality
control and emissions from the source, the
development of numerical models systems for
improving the accuracy of forecasts of weather
phenomena, environmental assessment of
development sectors in the framework of the
National Transformation Program..
The General Authority for Meteorology and
Environment Protection is also working on
the establishment of a national program for
environmental monitoring of groundwater, the
activation of the national program for chemical
safety, and the diversification of the sources of
funding of the Authority..
www.pme.gov.sa