The purpose of this Act is: protection and conservation of the environment; protection of human health from activities with negative effects on the environment; conservation and sustainable development of natural resources; environmental planning as an integral part of industrial, agricultural and urban activities; and increased level of awareness on environmental issues.
The Act consists of 4 Chapters divided into 24 articles: Definitions and objectives (1); Tasks and obligations (2); Offences and Penalties (3); and General Provisions (4).
Chapter 2 specifies powers, duties and functions of the different authorities, in particular indicates the Meteorology and Environmental Protection Administration (MEPA) as the Competent Agency to refer to about all the issues treated. MEPA shall instruct agencies in-charge of education to include environmental concepts in curricula at various stages of education, agencies in-charge of mass media to sustain environmental awareness in various mass media and support the concept of environmental protection from the Islamic perspective, and agencies in-charge of Islamic Affairs, Da’wah and guidance to enhance the role of mosques in encouraging the community to preserve and protect the environment (arts. 3-7). The Chapter further provides for the creation of emergency plans, to be periodically reviewed, in case of pollution effects arising from implementation of their projects (art. 9); deals with waste management (arts. 12-14); and grants a period of 5 years, extendable, to existing projects that have to be adapted to the new rules (art. 15).
For the penalties on violations to provisions of art. 14, Chapter 3 refers to UN Marine Convention ratified by the Royal Decree No. (M/17) dated 11 Ramadan 1416 (art.18).