Saudi police harness drones, AI cameras to protect environment
In 2019, kingdom set up special police to enforce environment-related rules
Cairo: Saudi environmental police utilise drones and artificial intelligence-enhanced thermal cameras to protect the environment and expose offenders.
Visitors to an ongoing falconry exhibition in Riyadh are given a peek into the equipment employed by the Saudi Special Forces for Environmental Security (SFES) in enforcing the kingdom's environmental rules.
The Ministry of Interior’s pavilion at the Saudi International Falcons and Hunting Exhibition 2024 highlights the mobile security system supporting the rapid exchange of information between commanders and field units covering vast areas, and cutting operational costs, efforts, and time in protecting the environment.
The exhibition is being organised by the Saudi Falcons Club in Malham in northern Riyadh and runs through October 12.
SFES was created in 2019 to enforce environment-related regulations, protect resources, and promote sustainability with a view to improving the kingdom's environment and quality of life.
Cutting down, uprooting, removing or trading in trees without a licence is an offence punishable by a maximum fine of SR20,000 per tree in Saudi Arabia.
Trespassing into protected zones in Saudi Arabia is punishable by fines of up to SR10,000, while tampering with vegetation signboards is penalised by a fine of SR5,000.
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has unveiled a series of pro-environment measures also aimed to address climate change.
In 2021, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched the Saudi Green Initiative, a plan pursuing three overarching targets, namely emission reduction, afforestation and land regeneration, as well as land and sea protection.