Bahrain Drafts National Environment Policy, First Annual Compliancy Report

MANAMA, Bahrain, June 11, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Committed to advancing the country's environmental initiatives, Bahrain is developing a national environment policy and its first annual compliancy report in an attempt to hold sectors more accountable.

Currently under development by the Public Commission for the Protection of Marine Resources, Environment and Wildlife, the report will assess public and private sector compliance with the Environmental Law of 1996 and other relevant statutes. The commission will evaluate the use of telecommunications, radiation, asbestos, protected areas, importing banned materials, plants and animals to determine where various sectors are falling short.

The Public Commission is also designing a policy to upgrade the country's current environmental laws and toughen consequences for industries that violate regulations. The policy will address water, energy, climate change, marine, household and chemical waste.

"We are not the only authority to control the environment, we need a national policy that everyone follows," Public Commission for the Protection of Marine Resources, Environment and Wildlife director-general Dr. Adel Al Zayani said in an interview with Gulf Daily News.

Under the current environmental law, violations are addressed on a case-by-case basis, creating backlog in the system. As a result, the parliament is also considering establishing a court dedicated to hearing environmental cases, according to Dr. Al Zayani.

The environmental policy draft and compliancy report will be submitted to the Cabinet at the end of the year with the hopes of being adopted nationally.  

SOURCE Kingdom of Bahrain

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