عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Culture

Saudi Arabia Announces Inaugural Protected Areas Forum ‘HIMA’

The site at Hima, the sixth to be enlisted in Saudi Arabia, is home to one of the largest rock art complexes in the world and ancient wells. (SPA)
The site at Hima, the sixth to be enlisted in Saudi Arabia, is home to one of the largest rock art complexes in the world and ancient wells. (SPA)
TT
TT

Saudi Arabia Announces Inaugural Protected Areas Forum ‘HIMA’

The site at Hima, the sixth to be enlisted in Saudi Arabia, is home to one of the largest rock art complexes in the world and ancient wells. (SPA)
The site at Hima, the sixth to be enlisted in Saudi Arabia, is home to one of the largest rock art complexes in the world and ancient wells. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia announces the Inaugural Protected Areas Forum ‘‘HIMA’’, a groundbreaking event in the region dedicated to the conservation and preservation of natural habitats and wildlife, SPA reported.

Under the patronage of Engineer AbdulRahman Al-Fadli, the Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture and Chairman of the Board of the National Center for Wildlife (NCW), this forum organized by the National Center for Wildlife will be held in Riyadh from April 21-24, marking a significant milestone with both local and international participation.
The forum will feature a comprehensive agenda filled with panel discussions and presentations by renowned experts in the field of protected areas from around the globe.

Attendees will include representatives from protected areas, educational institutions, major projects, companies, and the non-profit sector, reflecting a growing commitment to environmental conservation and sustainability.
Dr. Mohammed Qurban, CEO of the National Center for Wildlife, emphasized that the organization of the "HIMA" forum stems from the Kingdom's leading position in global environmental initiatives and closely aligns with NCW's mandate as the
national authority for the wildlife sector. This initiative is part of a strategic plan to enhance the national system for protected areas, setting a clear direction for the Kingdom's efforts to safeguard vital natural sites for biodiversity.
Dr. Qurban highlighted the Kingdom's ambitious 30×30 initiative, aimed at protecting 30% of Saudi Arabia's land and sea area by 2030. This initiative, announced during the Green Saudi Initiative, underscores the Kingdom's dedication to
global biodiversity goals and environmental sustainability. The roadmap includes specific targets for the protection of land and marine areas by 2025 and 2030, demonstrating a proactive approach towards conservation.
The forum serves as a platform for global leaders in protected area management to exchange knowledge and best practices, fostering collaboration and ensuring alignment with international standards.
Since its establishment in 2019, the National Center for Wildlife has been dedicated to implementing strategic plans to address the challenges facing wildlife and marine ecosystems. With a vision for flourishing and sustainable wildlife
and biodiversity, the NCW is committed to preserving environmental systems and enhancing community engagement to achieve long-term environmental sustainability and maximize societal and economic benefits.

Most Viewed

 
 
Culture

Australia Bans Uranium Mining at Indigenous Site

A view shows a sign at the Energy Resources Australia (ERA) Ranger Project Area in Kakadu National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Northern Territory, Australia, July 11, 2024. (Reuters)
A view shows a sign at the Energy Resources Australia (ERA) Ranger Project Area in Kakadu National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Northern Territory, Australia, July 11, 2024. (Reuters)
TT
TT

Australia Bans Uranium Mining at Indigenous Site

A view shows a sign at the Energy Resources Australia (ERA) Ranger Project Area in Kakadu National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Northern Territory, Australia, July 11, 2024. (Reuters)
A view shows a sign at the Energy Resources Australia (ERA) Ranger Project Area in Kakadu National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Northern Territory, Australia, July 11, 2024. (Reuters)

Australia moved Saturday to ban mining at one of the world's largest high-grade uranium deposits, highlighting the site's "enduring connection" to Indigenous Australians.

The Jabiluka deposit in northern Australia is surrounded by the heritage-listed Kakadu national park, a tropical expanse of gorges and waterfalls featured in the first "Crocodile Dundee" film.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the national park would be extended to include the Jabiluka site -- which has never been mined -- honoring the decades-long desires of the Mirrar people.

"They were seeking a guarantee that there would never be uranium mining on their land," Albanese told a crowd of Labor Party supporters in Sydney.

"This means there will never be mining at Jabiluka," he added.

Archaeologists discovered a buried trove of stone axes and tools near the Jabiluka site in 2017, which they dated at tens of thousands of years old.

The find was "proof of the extraordinary and enduring connection Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander have had with our land", Albanese said.

"The Mirrar people have loved and cared for their land for more than 60,000 years.

"That beautiful part of Australia is home to some of the oldest rock art in the world," he added.

Discovered in the early 1970s, efforts to exploit the Jabiluka deposit have for decades been tied-up in legal wrangling between Indigenous custodians and mining companies.

It is one of the world's largest unexploited high-grade uranium deposits, according to the World Nuclear Association.

Rio Tinto-controlled company Energy Resources of Australia previously held mining leases at Jabiluka.

The conservation of Indigenous sites has come under intense scrutiny in Australia after mining company Rio Tinto blew up the 46,000-year-old Juukan Gorge rock shelters in 2020.

Australia's conservative opposition has vowed to build nuclear power plants across the country if it wins the next election, overturning a 26-year nuclear ban.