The “Forum Environment 2020: Towards a Sustainable Healthy Environment,” organized by Asharqia Chamber, expect environment-related activities to generate 100,000 job opportunities in Saudi Arabia, in line with the goals of Vision 2030 for environmental sustainability.
The forum aims to establish various environment-related activities that could attract thousands of Saudi youths in the future.
Member of the General Authority of Meteorology and Environmental Protection Ali al-Ghamdi said that the recently established waste management center, along with the five centers concerned with the environment, help achieve economic sustainability of activities related to the environment.
He indicated that, in several countries, waste has an economic value that could help attract domestic and foreign investments.
“We are facing a stimulating environment that contributes to improvement and innovation, similar to the best international practices, and opens wide horizons for local and foreign investment.”
Regarding the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the environment sector, Ghamdi pointed to the positive repercussions that occurred during the last period, such as reduced carbon dioxide emissions.
He also mentioned the increase in medical wastes, noting that the authority is in following up with the Ministry of Health to determine the suitable mechanisms to address this matter.
The CEO of the National Center for Vegetation Development and Combating Desertification, Khaled al-Abd al-Qadir, indicated that the center is working to create more parks in the eastern region and the whole Kingdom in general.
“We consider the national parks as protected areas for vegetation cover which the community can benefit from and visit,” according to the CEO, stressing that these parts represent a channel of investment and creating various opportunities.
Also speaking at the forum, the CEO of the National Center for Wildlife Development, Mohammed Qurban, said that the center seeks to support ecotourism by developing the 15 reserves within its administration.
He stressed that the reserves contribute to protecting environmental diversity, in addition to their important role in investments.
Qurban pointed out that the Kingdom is characterized by biological diversity, as there are 86 types of mammals, more than 100 species of birds, and over 1000 species of fish.
Qurban concluded with the challenges facing the center, notably the lack of water in forests, drought, and overgrazing, which affect biodiversity, population expansion, and overfishing.
