New law to focus on curbing air pollution in Bahrain

TDT | Manama                                                                            

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com 

Staff Reporter

With Bahrain leaving no stone unturned in its compliance with the Paris Climate Accord and net zero emission target by 2050, the new Environmental Law that came into effect yesterday is serving as a shot in the arm for the nation’s go-green and environmental-friendly initiatives.  

The new law, according to the Supreme Council for the Environment, is intended to protect the environment and its sources from all activities and practices that cause pollution, environmental degradation, destroy biodiversity and lead to excess carbon emissions.

The law also aims at preventing and combating pollution in all of its forms and stopping the deterioration of the environment by implementing the necessary plans and policies to preserve it from detrimental effects resulting from activities that harm humans, marine, land and air environments.

The Kingdom has one of the worst air qualities in the world owing to the frequent occurrences of dust storms, which are common to the Arabian region.

The Supreme Council for Environment recently released a new app showing air quality across Bahrain as part of the initiatives to study and tackle air polluting components. The Air Quality Index (AQI) app will show live readings from stations monitoring pollution across the Kingdom.

These stations have been built in Sitra and Awali. There is already a station at the US Embassy in Manama. Available from both Apple App store and Google Play, the app will also give information about what action you can take as a precaution when the pollution is at a hazardous or unhealthy level.

Earlier, the roadmap for better air quality was drawn up by the Supreme Council for Environment (SCE), encompassing short, medium and long-term solutions. 

Within the boundaries of the Kingdom, it also attempts to protect and develop natural resources in a way that guarantees the objectives of sustainable development and biodiversity. The Supreme Council for the Environment noted that the new law includes 125 articles as a result of the contributors' tireless work in updating the draft environment law, and through fruitful cooperation between the executive and legislative authorities.

It called on environmental authorities, businesses, and individuals to work together more to improve workplace conditions and achieve the goals outlined in the aforementioned legislation. The Supreme Council for Environment is a government entity in charge of the development of Bahrain’s future strategy for the environment and sustainable development, and following up on the implementation of this strategy with relevant ministries, agencies and institutions.

The SCE’s mandate also includes protecting Bahrain’s natural habitat and human environment, ensuring the sustainability of its components, and preserving and developing its resources for future generations.