RIYADH, 23 March 2004 — The oil giants that recently concluded gas exploration deals with the Kingdom will have to produce environmental impact studies before they start operations.
Prince Turki ibn Nasser, the chief of the Presidency of Meteorology and Environmental Protection, said talks were under way with the Ministry of Oil and Mineral Resources to compel the oil companies to comply with the new environment law.
“No permit will be issued for any factory in the Kingdom, whether for foreign or Saudi investment unless it submits an environmental impact study,” he said at a press conference recently.
The prince said there was close cooperation between the presidency and the Ministry of Oil and Industry on environment preservation.
Committees under the new law will come down immediately on cement factories, which are the worst polluters. The next step is to work with the Ministry of Water and Electricity to cut down on pollution from desalination plants.
In coordination with the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the presidency will meet with factory owners to explain the new law to them and warn them to clean up their act.
Prince Turki urged the Council to provide copies of the environment law to all businesses. “Businessmen have to show a positive attitude, otherwise we’ll be forced to penalize them,” he said.
Prince Turki announced the United Nations Reparations Committee decided to compensate the Kingdom with $464 million for the damages as a result of the 1991 Gulf War. He said that the money would be spent on cleaning the Gulf coast.
All disputes with the UN Reparation Committee would be settled within six months, he added.
An independent body, the Saudi Friends of the Environment Society, will soon publish a list of its members and convene a constituent assembly, he announced.
Some 4,000 members recently joined the society, which boded well for the future.
