Protecting Our Precious Natural Resources

As Bahrainis, we are stewards of the land, sea and air as part and parcel of our role as economic and political leaders in the Middle East. In fact, sustainability is a guiding principle of our comprehensive vision for Bahrain’s future development. We are actively implementing policies and decrees that protect our precious environment and the species that inhabit it.

Economic growth must never come at the expense of the environment and the long-term well-being of Bahrainis.

-Bahrain Economic Vision 2030

International Cooperation

Bahrain has ratified many international environmental conventions and efforts, including the Clean Seas Campaign, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the Paris Climate Agreement, among others.

UNFCCC
Bahrain Shoreline

Conserving Water for the Future

Private International Schools

Ground water sources are dwindling and at continual risk. The seas of the Middle East, which have supported us economically for thousands of years, are vulnerable to pollution, from both land and maritime sources. Bahrain is using advanced standards to attack such pollution, and protect our coasts and their precious biodiversity.

Actively Protecting Sea Turtles & Other Vulnerable Ocean Life

Bahrain has taken dramatic steps to protect sea turtles and other vulnerable ocean species. In addition to banning plastic bags in 2019, our 2018 resolution issued by the Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry bans trawling, a practice in which nets are used to scoop up every living thing in the water, keeping only the “desirable” part of the catch. This practice kills sea turtles, among other species. The resolution also includes other protocols meant to help commonly fished species recover and reproduce.

Bahraini Sea Turtles
Minimizing plastic waste

Minimizing Plastic Waste

Bahrain has responded to the United Nations’ call to mitigate ocean pollution by joining leading countries across the globe that are addressing plastic waste, especially single-use plastic. In July, 2019 Bahrain implemented a Ministerial order regulating plastic products that will phase out the use of plastic bags. The first step will focus on single-use plastic bags and banning the import of non-biodegradable plastic bags. Later phases will phase in more regulations around plastic bags.

Safeguarding Air Quality

Industrial, energy and transport sectors pose dangers to our air, and Bahrain is making strides in that area. We have also taken steps to diversify our economy and move away from a dependence on oil.

Safeguarding air quality
Advancing the principles of sustainability

Advancing the Principles of Sustainability

On land, Bahrain is committed to minimizing, treating, and recycling solid waste. Sewage, in particular, is being reused in a number of environmentally friendly ways.

Combating Desertification

Bahrain is undertaking efforts to combat drought and desertification, a problem that plagues the entire Middle East.

Bahrain desert