Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah said that the Kingdom’s government attaches great importance to preserving the environment and biodiversity.
“We live in a land full of vital natural resources. Hence, striving to protect these resources and preserve their sustainability was a humanitarian duty and a common goal that would benefit the earth and all humankind,” the minister said during his participation in a virtual summit organized by the United Nations, under the title, “Urgent action on biodiversity for sustainable development.”
Prince Faisal stated that Saudi Arabia has taken many effective steps that have achieved a qualitative leap in the field of environmental protection and preservation of natural resources.
He explained that the Kingdom has enacted regulations and legislations and developed national strategies, such as the comprehensive environment system, the national environment strategy, the national strategy for biodiversity and the national strategy for natural pastures.
The minister added that the Kingdom has also strengthened its efforts in preserving biological diversity by joining international agreements, memoranda of understanding and protocols such as the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity and its two protocols (Nagoya and Carthage), the Treaty on the Preservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals and a number of agreements and memoranda of understanding emanating from it. It has also joined the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Animal and Plant Groups.
Prince Faisal emphasized that the National Transformation Program that falls within the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 included an important goal: “Ensuring the sustainability of vital resources, by achieving developmental and food security, the sustainable use of water resources and the protection of the environment from natural hazards.”
“My country is making strenuous and tangible efforts towards achieving this goal,” he said.
“As the current chair of the G20 countries, the government of my country has placed the preservation of the planet at the top of its agenda, based on its endeavor to ensure sustainability and find meaningful solutions to environment, climate and energy issues around the world,” Prince Faisal told the conference.
He continued: “Preserving the environment and its rich biological diversity is a responsibility that falls on all of us, and we hope that efforts will be combined, and capacities harnessed, to preserve this land and its rich resources, to ensure a better future for the world, future generations and all of humanity.”
