Policies in Saudi Arabia:
Saudi Arabia: 7th Five-Year Plan
This development aims to achieve GDP growth in a sustainable fashion. One priority is the diversification of the economy away from the dominant oil and gas industry.
Date Implemented: 2000-2005
Status: Framework Policy
Target: annual GDP growth rate of 3.1%
Saudi Arabai: Air quality standards
The government is planning more stringant air quality standards to eliminate the shortcomings of the previous standard.
Status: Mandatory
References: http://www.un.org/esa/agenda21/natlinfo/countr/saudi/inst.htm
Saudi Arabia: Economic Liberalization/diversification
Saudi Arabia recognizes that its economy is dependent on fossil fuels and therefore prefers no restrictions to global CO2 emissions that will cause the demand for these fossil fuels to decrease. However, in its National Communication to the UNFCCC, it also recognizes the need to diversify away from fossil fuels. In order to diversify the economy, it must first be liberalized. Saudi Arabia has taken steps to liberalize its economy in the interest of increasing its diversification. These measures include opening the natural gas industry to foreign investment, privatizing certain industries, and working toward accession in WTO.
Status: In Force; Government Initiative
References: National Communication to the UNFCCC Nov 2005
Saudi Arabia: Eighth Five-Year Plan
In the General Objectives the 5th and the 11th statements plan to diversify the economic base with due emphasis on promising areas such as manufacturing industries, particularly energy, and related derivatives, intensive industries, as well as mining tourism and information technology industries and to protect the environment and develop suitable systems in the context of sustainable development requirement.
Date Implemented: 2005-2010
Status: In Force; Multi-sectoral Framework Policy
Saudi Arabia: Environmental Impact Assessment Law
No details available.
Status: In Force; Mandatory
References: http://www.un.org/esa/agenda21/natlinfo/countr/saudi/inst.htm
Saudi Arabia: Fifth Development Plan
This plan aims to improve the standard of living and the welfare of Saudi citizens, to provide an environment free from pollution, with clean air, water and food and to achieve sustainable development on the basis of improved management of the available natural resources and maintain the current capacity of the environment. The plan incorporates the preventive principle and the concept of the environmental impact assessment.
Date Implemented: 1995-1999
Status: Ended
References: http://www.un.org/esa/agenda21/natlinfo/countr/saudi/inst.htm
Saudi Arabia: Integrated Independent Water and Power Projects (IWPP)
In July 2002, the Supreme Economic Council passed a resolution setting out a framework for private sector involvement in developing mega-scale integrated Independent Water and Power Projects ( IWPPs ). In March 2004, Saudi Arabia announced a plan to launch ten IWPPs by 2016, at a total cost of $16 billion. The (Saudi Electricity Company) SEC has already approved four such mega-projects, worth more than $8 billion. The combined production capacity of the four projects will produce more than 7000 MW of power and 600 million gallons of water daily. They will boost the total desalination capacity of the kingdom by 80 per cent when the come online between 2008 and 2010.
Date Implemented: 2002
Status: In Force; Voluntary
Funding Information: Saudi Arabia aims to attract private sector investment for up to 60 percent equity in IWPP projects, with the remainder split between Public Investment Fund (PIF) and the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC).
References:http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/Saudi_Arabia/Electricity.html
Saudi Arabia: Privatization of power companies
The government has implemented a policy of privatization of power companies and destruction of the power pricing system in an attempt to decrease unnecessary overconsumption.
Status: In Force; Mandatory
References: http://www.un.org/esa/agenda21/natlinfo/wssd/saudiarabia.pdf
Saudi Arabia: Rural electrification campaign
No details available.
Status: Government Initiative
References: EIA
Saudi Arabia: SCECOs - Saudi Consolidated Electric Companies
The Saudi government replaced the old, fragmented system of electrical power generation involving numerous small companies with a more organized, structured system. SCECOs - Saudi Consolidated Electric Companies - each provide electricity for a whole region of the Kingdom.
Status: In Force; Framework Policy
References: http://www.saudinf.com/main/g6.htm
Saudi Arabia: Three-year renewable license to conduct a feasibility study for a waste-to-energy (WTE) facility
In July 2006, the U.S.-based International Power Group (IPWG) was granted a three-year renewable license to conduct a feasibility study for a waste-to-energy (WTE) facility in the southwestern city of Jizan . Following the study, a US$300-million plant was commissioned, and is expected to come online in Dec ember 2008. According to IPWG, the WTE modules combust up to 180 tons of solid and hazardous waste, while generating 6 MW of electricity and up to 250,000 gallons of distilled water per day.
Date Implemented: 2006
Status: In Force; Voluntary
References: http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/Saudi_Arabia/Electricity.html