Saudi Arabia joins the world in commemorating World Environment Day, which falls on the June 5, emanating from the fact that the Kingdom gives great importance to protecting and preserving the environment and caring for its natural components. It is a consolidation of its efforts and initiatives in caring for the ecosystem and biodiversity on the planet, by shedding light on the environmental issues; conducting lectures and activities that promote the idea of preserving and ensuring a healthy environment. The Kingdom has taken strategic decisions to preserve the environment, the most important of which was the establishment of the Special Forces for Environmental Security, which comes in line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030. This aims to improve the quality of life and build a society whose members enjoy a healthy lifestyle, and an environment that allows living in a positive and attractive environment. This in turn promotes the environment in coordination with the concerned "security and environmental" authorities with the aim of activating and enforcing environmental regulations, and carrying out comprehensive tasks and responsibilities covering all environmentally important areas throughout the Kingdom. The environment sector in the Kingdom is enjoying special attention, continuous support, and care from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman and Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman as a religious, national, and humanitarian duty and responsibility towards the future generations. World Environment Day comes as a global occasion to review efforts and assess all exerted actions to preserve the environment. It is also an opportunity to review the roles and goals that have been achieved to reach a status that reflects the Kingdom's position at the international arena, especially in light of the global concern that environmental issues are witnessing as one of the most important components of improving the quality of life and indicators of sustainable development. The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture has been successful in shouldering efforts to reach the level of environmental awareness in the society and transmitting awareness messages that urge attention to the environment, amid the Kingdom's successful experiences at the local, continental and global levels to preserve the environment, in a way that improves the quality of life and indicators of sustainable development in line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030. Moreover, the Ministry has taken a number of strategic decisions to preserve the environment and build a society whose members enjoy a healthy lifestyle and an environment that allows for living in a positive and attractive atmosphere, under the supervision and directives of King Salman and Crown Prince Muhammad. Hence comes the founding of the Saudi Society for Environmental Sciences at King Abdulaziz University, which was a true translation of the leadership's interest in environmental affairs and its protection through universities and professional institutions. This establishment of the society enabled the university to secure an advanced position internationally through holding scientific meetings, training courses, workshops, expeditions trips, educational seminars, and environmental awareness, in order to elevate science environmental development, scientific ideology in environmental fields, spread environmental awareness, and providing scientific, theoretical and applied advice in the field of environmental sciences for many areas of development in the Kingdom. The Society seeks to benefit the community through the outcomes of scientific research to enrich culture and awareness in the field of environment and to spread scientific environmental awareness to preserve the environment and prevent or reduce its losses by organizing activities in international environmental events, awareness exhibitions, and student activities, attracting talents and adopting creative ideas, in a way that advances the aspirations of the Kingdom and its interest in environmental affairs. Furthermore, the Saudi Environment Society aims to create sustainable development programs, enrich volunteer work and enhance the role of the private sector to serve environmental issues with regards to environmental protection and preservation through a genuine partnership with all target groups in society in line with global and international environmental standards, community values and principles of the Islamic religion. World Environment Day is a global platform to raise awareness of the importance of nature conservation. It also aims to reduce global warming and desertification. This international occasion was first announced in 1974 in Stockholm and is celebrated every year by more than 100 countries around the world, including Saudi Arabia. On June 5 of every year, the United Nations chooses a country to be the global host for this occasion, during which it reviews efforts and evaluates actions to preserve the environment, in order to involve all segments of society in contributing towards environmental protection and enlighten the future generations about the dangers facing their world. — SPA
