Saudi Arabia: Dairy farm fined SR1.25m over environmental damage

Cairo: Saudi authorities have imposed a fine of SR1.25 million on a famous dairy company for causing harm to the environment.

The governmental National Centre for Environmental Compliance identified the violating firm as Al Safi Danone and announced the fine against it.

A violation was registered after the company engaged in a practice that ‘directly or indirectly’ resulted in damaging or contaminating the soil, ‘negatively’ affecting its benefits or damaging its natural properties in Al Kharj governorate, southeast of Riyadh, according to an X post from the centre.

The centre said the firm did not take appropriate measures and precautions to avert soil pollution.

The penalties imposed by the Riyadh-based centre on the company include a SR1.25 million fine, an obligation to rectify the violation, repair the damage, and pay compensation. Additionally, the centre ordered a summary of the decision to be published.

Pro-environment measures unveiled

In recent years, Saudi Arabia has unveiled a series of pro-environment measures aimed at addressing climate change.

In March 2021, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI), a plan pursuing overarching targets, namely emissions reduction, afforestation, and land regeneration, as well as land and sea protection.

Envisaged as a whole-of-society action, SGI strives to unite all of the kingdom’s work to combat climate change under one umbrella with clear-cut objectives including accelerating green transition.

The Saudi government has designated March 27 as an official day to annually celebrate the SGI anniversary.

Last October, a Saudi roadmap to reach the 10 billion tree target was unveiled at the MENA Climate Week.