His Excellency the Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen AlFadley launched today the Environmental Fund, the National Center for Meteorology, the National Center for Vegetation Cover, the National Center for Environmental Compliance, the National Center for Wildlife and the National Center for Waste Management.
The launch ceremony took place at the Ministry's headquarters in the presence of the ministry's leaders and the Leader of the Special Force for Environment Security.
This initiative comes as part of the ministry's utmost efforts to conserve the environment, wildlife and biodiversity in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. These national environmental centers as well as the Environmental Fund represent the operating model for the Saudi National Environment Strategy which was adopted by the Council of Ministers' Resolution No. 454, dated 22/8/1439H (08/05/2018). The strategy is a road map to achieve Saudi Arabia's objectives related to the environment and its protection, as the strategy includes more than 6 strategic pillars and 64 initiatives in different environmental areas.
The ministry said that the aim of establishing an environmental fund is to contribute to the financial sustainability of the environment sector and provide the enablers needed for its advancement. And this could be achieved by contributing to supporting the operating budgets of environmental centers, supporting environmental programs, studies and initiatives, stimulating environmentally friendly technologies, and improving environmental performance and developing environmental rehabilitation programs.
The ministry added that the National Center for Vegetation Cover was established to develop the management of national parks, develop and rehabilitate vegetation cover in forests and rangelands, protect and propagate native endangered plant species and combat desertification, in addition to conducting studies and supporting research on vegetation cover.
While the National Center for Environmental Compliance is concerned with monitoring the environmental compliance of all establishments that have an impact on the environment in all development sectors, supervising programs on monitoring sources of environmental pollution, as well as approving environmental impact studies, issuing environmental licenses for all development projects and conducting an environmental inspection on installations.
The ministry stated that the tasks of the National Center for Wildlife are to supervise programs concerning wildlife and biodiversity conservation, as well as management planning of protected areas and management of breeding and repopulation centers for endangered animals.
The National Center of Meteorology, on the other hand, undertakes meteorology activities, including monitoring climate and weather events, preparing weather forecasts, sharing data and weather forecasts with airports, ports, and other entities and operating weather monitoring stations in all regions of the Kingdom.
The National Center for Waste Management aims to effectively regulate the waste management sector to improve the quality of services provided, strengthen capabilities, competencies and the knowledge of the workforce, promote economic sustainability by stimulating investment and maximizing private sector participation. And to limit disposal waste in landfills by encouraging the use of best waste recovery techniques, increasing public awareness to reduce waste and encourage waste reuse and recycling practices, as well as encouraging research and innovation in the fields of waste reuse and recycling, waste resource recovery techniques and artificial intelligence in waste management.