Riyadh: The National Center for Environmental Compliance (NCEC) has announced the launch of a national campaign to monitor and curb environmental violations across 35 valleys in Saudi Arabia. The initiative aims to protect the flow of surface and groundwater, safeguard natural resources, and restore degraded sites to their natural state.
According to Saudi Press Agency, Executive Director of Regional Operations Adel Al-Ghamdi stated during the campaign's launch in Wadi Al-Zuraib, Al-Wajh city, northwestern Saudi Arabia, that the campaign is a collaborative effort with several government entities. These include the regional principality, Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve, and the special forces for environmental security from the Ministry of Interior. The campaign prioritizes the most damaged sites within the valleys, identified through geospatial analyses, satellite imagery, and artificial intelligence modeling and applications.
Al-Ghamdi noted that the survey operations would yield results and recommendations upon the completion of surveying and sampling analysis. These findings will clarify the causes of negative impacts from activities and encroachments, and outline methods for addressing them.
He further clarified that survey and sampling operations have commenced concurrently in several valleys suspected of being affected by environmental violations. These sites are undergoing on-site verification to determine the nature and sources of the issues. He added that these efforts are based on a temporal baseline covering the period from 2022 to 2025.
Al-Ghamdi emphasized that the survey results would support the implementation of legal measures against violators, enabling competent authorities to address and rehabilitate affected sites, thereby enhancing the sustainability of the valleys.
He added: "The survey plan was developed according to a scientific methodology that defines the scope of surveillance in the valleys, builds an integrated database of affected sites and pollution sources, and ensures their periodic monitoring."
According to Al-Ghamdi, the operations target the detection of prominent violations such as pollutant discharge, waste accumulation, encroachment on valley courses, and activities affecting water and soil quality.