Article 34 of the Saudi Environment Law

This Article gives the Minister, who under Article 1 is the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, broad power to deal with environmental emergencies.

The situations in which the Minister may intervene include:

• Any environmental emergency.
• Any environmental disaster.
• Any imminent danger relating to the environment, that is, before damage has actually occurred.

In these situations the Minister has two powers:

1. To take the necessary measures and steps to respond to the situation.
2. To take the necessary measures and steps to prevent it from worsening.

The Article does not specify the type of these measures or list them; it leaves the determination of what is necessary to each case. But it requires that they be taken in coordination with the relevant authorities, because environmental disasters often require the cooperation of more than one authority.

This Article falls within the chapter on environmental emergencies and disasters, and is linked to Article 33, which exempts employees of the competent authority from liability for environmental damage resulting from an unintentional, non-negligent error during emergency and disaster pollution clean-up operations, while preserving the injured party's right to compensation for civil liability. If your facility or activity is affected by measures taken in an emergency and you want to know your legal position, you may consult a lawyer who specializes in environmental law.