‘Environ protection top priority’

Gulf environment forum held in Riyadh

RIYADH, April 15, (KUNA): Saudi Arabia has rendered protection of the environment a prior issue among its development plans, affirmed the Chairman of the kingdom’s Meteorological and Environmental Protection Administration (MEPA).

Prince Turki Bin Abdul Aziz, in a statement at the Gulf Environment and Sustainable Development Forum, which got underway here late on Sunday, affirmed that the issue of protecting the environment is part of the state development policies and strategies, noting the state keenness on implementing these plans in shadow of growth of the population, the kingdom cities and increasing causes and sources of pollution.

Conferees are addressing various topics namely sources of renewable and alternative energy and their economic feasibility in the Gulf, environmental issues within framework of the commercial and industrial sectors.

Prince Turki called for mapping out plans in the Gulf and Arab countries for coping with effects of the earth overheating.

Sheikha Amthal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah, Chairperson of Kuwait’s Voluntary Work Center, had affirmed, in a statement at the forum, necessity of voluntary action for humanitarian and sustainable development in coping with environmental catastrophes.

She addressed the conferees, at length, about perish of fish and other sea creatures in the sea waters of Kuwait and the efforts that had been exerted to repair damage at the water desalination plant.

The forum groups representatives of Saudi associations, officials, 1,500 researchers, 150 lecturers and a number of experts.