These Regulations consisting of 20 articles aim at representing the minimum basics required for preparing and developing similar national legislation in the GCC member States in order to protect the environment through a connection between the national development and environment stability. The concerned Authority, responsible in each member State for protection and conservation of the environment, shall have a number of functions, mainly (i) review and assessment of environment conditions by means of conducting surveys, monitoring and data collection as well as other suitable means; (ii) preparation of proposal for environmental regulations; (iii) issuance of approval documents to the results of environmental assessment studies of projects; (iv) review of land use plans to ensure that they include the environmental consideration and classification of land with a special environmental nature; (v) the environmental quality, particularly those relating to surface and ground water, sea and coastal waters, air, and noise; (vi) controls of harmful activities to avoid, prevent or reduce damage to the lowest possible level before it occurs; (vii) inspections to ensure the compliance with environmental protection regulations and standards. General obligations are listed in reference to (i) public bodies, in implementing projects under their supervision or licensed by them; (ii) private persons, through the implementation of any project that may lead to the occurrence of negative effect on the environment; (iii) emergency procedures, to be undertaken by the public bodies to make and prepare the necessary plans to protect the environment against the risk of pollution which could result from emergency incidents that may happen during the conduct of their activities; (iv) the use of the best available technology for control of pollution and prevention of environmental deterioration in undertaking new projects; (v) designation of a responsible for guaranteeing that activities and operations are carried out in conformity with the provisions of this Regulation; and (vi) the environmental assessment studies for projects at the feasibility study stage. The environmental aspects should be taken into consideration with respect to (i) land use and coastal zones plans; (ii) the conservation of wild and domestic life, particularly those threatened with extinction; (iii) rationalization of the use of natural resources, including recycling and re-use technologies and conservation of energy and development of the traditional technologies; and (iv) introduction of environmental subjects in all educational phases together with the establishment of institutes specialized in environment sciences to qualify technical personnel.
1997-01-01