Arab Environment Watch : Arab countries tackle environment enforcement issues

Source: Jordan Times

The first Arab Regional Conference on the Inspection and Enforcement of Environmental Regulations began on May 11th with the aim of increasing cooperation on key issues.

"The two-day conference seeks to establish a regional network and draw up ways to raise environmental awareness on the importance of adhering to regulations," the director of the Ministry of Environment's inspection and law enforcement department, Adnan Zawahreh, told The Jordan Times.

The ministry's assistant secretary general, Ahmad Qatarneh, delivered an opening speech on behalf of Minister of Environment Khalid Irani in which he said the ministry, in cooperation with the European Union, had recently completed an institutional strengthening and legal upgrading project.

The project, part of the Jordanian-European Partnership Agreement, has developed the ministry's institutional and regulatory performance and created a new control and inspection department, Irani said, adding that it also seeks to draw up environmental legislation in the fields of medical waste, water and air pollution.

"The ministry has also developed a new strategy for inspection and enforcement of environmental regulations. It is strengthening the monitoring and inspection of industrial facilities, intensifying licensing procedures at these facilities and at the same time encouraging investment," Irani said.

He added that the newly established Environmental Police Department, affiliated to the Public Security Department, is helping ensure the enforcement of regulations by tracking down violators.

The conference is organised by the International Network for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement (INECE) with the participation of experts from Algeria, Jordan, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

INECE is a network of governmental and nongovernmental enforcement and compliance practitioners from more than 150 countries. Its goals are: Raising awareness of compliance and enforcement, developing networks for enforcement cooperation, and strengthening capacity to implement and enforce environmental requirements, according to its website.