Abstraction
This essay seeks to compile data on environmental issues in Saudi Arabia, which is the largest oil exporter in the world, through a comprehensive review of the available studies. The growth of the kingdom over the years has been rapid and diverse. Due to lack of proper care, unfortunately the development activities were accompanied by environmental degradation. Today, there are many integrated management issues that relate not only to air, but also the water, landscape and the marine resources of the kingdom. This essay systematically compiled data on environmental issues in Saudi Arabia. The focus was equally divided between the major pollution issue air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution and desertification. It became evident through the review of the available past studies and recommendations that a significant problem in solving the environmental issues is the lack of environmental organizations and their contributions in attacking the issues of pollution in its different kinds and finding their solutions. Also, in this essay we are discussing the action that should be taken in solving these important pollution issues.
Introduction
Environmental pollution ruins any place and its surrounding areas for the living creatures.
Smoke and gases in the air and chemical substances and other substances in water and solid garbage beneath Saudi earth's crust are considered major causes of pollution.
Environmental pollution is an expression that involves any human activity that results in damaging natural habitat.
Many people recognize environmental pollution in landscapes full of garbage and black smoke emitted from factories. However, the truth is that pollution can be invisible, odorless, and tasteless. Which is a suffer for many living creatures in Saudi.
Some forms of pollution do not pollute the landscape, sky, or sea; however, it could spoil the enjoyment of life for humans and other species. For example, noise emitted from traffic or machines can be considered as a form of pollutant that affects both humans and other species. As well as sandstorms and Desertification are two huge pollution issues in Saudi Arabia.
Environmental pollution is one of the most problems that endanger humanity and all of the other species in our planet and especially in our research in Saudi. Some air pollutant was able to limit the ability for the atmosphere to filter the ultra-violate radiation emitted by sun, which results in harmful radiation in our atmosphere.
Many scientists believe that those radiations and other air pollutants are making significant change in our world's weather.
Air and soil polluters are endangering the ability of farmers to grow essential foods. Sea polluters are also endangering many sea organic creatures.
Definition of concepts:
Environment:
The sum total of all surroundings of a living organism, including natural forces and other living things, which provide conditions for development and growth as well as of danger and damage.
Pollution:
Is The action or process of making land, water, air, etc., dirty and not safe or suitable to use.
Air pollution:
Is the pollution of air by smoke and harmful gasses, mainly oxides of carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen.
Water pollution:
Is the addition of harmful chemicals to natural water.
Noise pollution:
Is the disturbing or excessive noise that may harm the activity or balance of human or animal life.
Desertification:
Is a type of land degradation in which a relatively dry land region becomes increasingly arid, typically losing its bodies of water as well as vegetation and wildlife.
Sandstorm:
An occurrence in which very strong winds blow sand around very forcefully.
Acid rain:
It is a rain or any other form of precipitation that is unusually acidic, meaning that it possesses elevated levels of hydrogen ions (low pH).
Groundwater:
It is the water found underground in the cracks and spaces in soil, sand and rock.
Degradation:
The act or process of damaging or ruining something.
Climate: the composite or generally prevailing weather conditions of a region, as temperature, air pressure, humidity, precipitation, sunshine, cloudiness, and winds, throughout the year, averaged over a series years.
Logging: The work or business of felling and trimming trees and transporting the logs to a mill.
Ecosystem:
An ecosystem is all the living things, from plants and animals to microscopic organisms, which share an environment.
Air pollution
Air pollution is one of the most serious pollution problems facing Saudi Arabia and it is ranked as the fifth air polluted country in the world. This issue is not only effecting Saudi Arabia even neighboring regions and countries are being affected due to its air pollution.
What are the causes of air pollution in Saudi Arabia?
1- Transportation Pollution
For example, the different types of vehicles that run on either gasoline or diesel which the result of its internal combustion processes from car exhaust that carry large proportion of oxides and gases which are concentrated toxins for humans.
Saudi Arabia has converted to lead – free gasoline and now they executing a program reducing sulfur in fuels by 95%.
2-Gases emitted from factories:
The spread and expansion of factories in Saudi Arabia and its goal to increase the production has affected the environment and caused air pollution. These gases from the different factories and its exhaust all have negative effect on the environment and its element because of its inherent toxic and dangerous materials. the toxics, caused by these factories, destroys the soil causing acid rain which may destroys and effects the ozone layer, which leads to puncture causing the access of the harmful UV rays.
Example of Factories in Saudi Arabia causing air pollution:
a) Cement factories :
The damages from cement factories for the environment are divided into two categories:
i. Solid contaminants:
It is a solid particles resulting from the different stages of production processes.
ii. Gaseous pollutants:
Gases produced such as Carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide by the burning of fuel in furnaces operations.
b) oil refining factories:
Exhaust gas and flue gas emissions (carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOX) and carbon monoxide (CO)) in the petroleum refining sector result from the combustion of gas and fuel oil or diesel in turbines, boilers, compressors and other engines for power and heat generators.
3- Sand storm:
Sandstorms pose a great challenge for Saudi Arabia because dust plays a primary role in causing air pollution in country of more than 90% desert, it cannot be controlled nor reduce its risk and it cannot changes its course. Therefore, sandstorms are considered to be a great risk that grows with the size and speed of storm.
Furthermore, these sandstorms have a variety of risks and damages.
It includes:
1- Acid rain.
2- Leads to Desertification.
3- Agriculture damages.
4- Increase in the rates of water consumption.
Effect
Short term symptoms resulting from exposure to air pollution include itchy eyes, nose and throat, wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, headaches, nausea, and upper respiratory infections (bronchitis and pneumonia). It also exacerbates asthma and emphysema. Long term effects include lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory illness, and developing allergies. Air pollution is also associated with heart attacks and strokes.
Solution
The first step in controlling air pollution problems is to identify their source. Long-term monitoring of major and minor pollutants is to be set up in all regions. Furthermore, once problems are identified, pollutant emissions are reduced through the use Of these Solutions:
1- Build factories outside of residential areas.
2- Processing factory waste.
3- If a new technology is used, environment must be taken in account.
4- Reducing the use of pesticides.
5- Use of cleaner energy.
The next decade or two should see reductions in emissions from power factories, industries, and motor vehicles, at least in the developed nations.
Water pollution:
Water pollution has a major influence in the life of individual, family and society. Water is essential for humans and other living creatures; Since Saudi Arabia is the biggest oil exporter in the whole wide world, it is natural that it is accompanied by water pollution. There are other sources of pollution that are equally important such as:
1- Oil spill:
It is one of the most harmful accidents to the environment that lead to damages in the environment due to the death of many Marine organisms and birds that live around and in this environment.
2- Industrial waste is one of the main reasons for water pollution, which includes food waste and chemical waste from factories.
3- Disposal of untreated sewage into the sea.
4- Human waste into the sea.
Effect
Water pollution is a serious issue. The effects of water pollution have a strong impact on the delicate balance in the natural ecosystem. This will ultimately impact the humans and other living creatures. The effects of water pollution are different and depend on the chemicals dumped in that particular location. One of the effects of water pollution are the variety of illnesses caused by the water pollution which are easily spread; intake of unclean water can spread illness. Polluted water also has a bad smell and color that ruin the beauty of the water for the creature living around and in it. This polluted water with chemicals causes serious water-borne diseases.
Examples for the effect of water pollution:
1- Lack of dissolved oxygen in the water.
2- The difficulty for the light to penetrate the water surface.
3- Diseases such as asthma and allergies.
Solution
There is no easy way to solve water pollution; if there were, it wouldn't be so much of a problem.
However, there are things that can help to tackle the problem:
1- Sewage treatment before disposal at sea.
2- Put laws in order to maintain the safety of groundwater.
3- Enforce strict laws to maintain the beaches clean.
4- Proper disposal of chemical wastes.
5- Making people aware of the problem.
Noise pollution
There is a lack of attention for noise pollution in industrial areas and even densely populated cities in Saudi Arabia, Numerous studies prove that this kind of pollution Cause different diseases to humans including high blood pressure and heart attacks, hearing loss, stress and lack of concentration.
Furthermore, here are examples of noise pollution that we see in daily basis:
1- Different means of transportation such as cars, buses and especially aircraft of different types.
2- Building and construction operation.
3- Household devices such as radio, television, personal computers.
Effect:
Health effects of noise include anxiety and stress reaction and in extreme cases fright. The physiological manifestations are headaches, irritability and nervousness, feeling of fatigue and decreases work efficiency. For example, being pounded by the siren of fire fighters, police or ambulance in your city all night everyday leave people (especially elderly people) stresses and tired in the morning.
Measure of noise:
Noise can measure by physical ways expressed in decibels and von, the normal sound from normal person is 50 to 60 dB. However, and the noise caused by the car horn are equal to 100 dB; The movement of objects and the rustle of clothing were up to 20 dB. On the other hand, that increases the noise intensity for 30 von cause mental disorders, noise which amounts to between 60 and 90 von cause psychological and neurological problems and defects in the degree of hearing. The noises of more than 120 von to affect direct effect on nerve cells inside the ear bloc.
Solution
Unlike the other types of environmental problems such as air and water pollution, noise or sound is transient or short-lived. However, compared to other pollutions, reduction and control of pollution cause due to noise is considered subjective and tough to monitor. Nevertheless, it is still an achievable target.
The following is a list of various ways that will help you combat this form of pollution.
1- Put strict laws on any source for noise or factories.
2- Spread awareness through various media, television and show the dangers resulting from the noise and how to address them.
3- Build schools and hospitals far away from the noise sources.
4- Educated the student in schools about the risk resulting from noise pollution and how to address it.
Desertification
Saudi Arabia has a climatic characteristics and patterns of wildlife, which influenced the way of human exploitation of this environment, and the common features of this land is the water shortage that leads often to a scarcity of vegetation or extinction. Humans had lived in these dry areas for thousands of years, and used their limited resources.
The problem of desertification is very complex problem arose from the mutual interaction between the Earth's dry environment. Therefore, it is a difficult and sensitive environment that is Unreliable, and also between the human use of it; trying to make a living and keep his life.
There are two main reasons for desertification:
1- Climatic reasons :
Lack of rain, sand storm, rise in temperature, Deterioration of vegetation as result of overgrazing and logging, and wrong agricultural methods. These cause Desertification of agricultural land and its frequent droughts.
2- Human activities :
Over use of groundwater, Sand encroachment of agricultural land, Hunting animals, growing population, expansion of urban areas, and one of the main reasons for desertification in Saudi Arabia is logging because there is a small amount of trees in Saudi Arabia and it helps in rising the temperature and Reducing the oxygen in the air.
Effect
1- Environmental effects:
The loss of biodiversity, land degradation that lead to low productivity and losing the ability of the ecosystems and human to adapt to the climate change, and raise sand storms and sand encroachment that threatens the economic and social facilities and farms, among others.
2- Economic effects:
The weakness in the production and lack of employment opportunities and lack of industrial development associated with agricultural products which lead to low per capita and national income.
3- Social effect:
The poverty and the migration from the villages, and the countryside to the cities and the consequent of the urban problems in increasing the population and the high rate of crime.
Clement on Saudi Arabia
Temperature is high in the summer, reaching an annual Mean of 30.5 C at Jizan. The effect of altitude on temperature Is evidenced from the low annual mean temperature
At Khakis Mishit (19 C). Daily and seasonal Variations are very wide; freezing temperatures are Uncommon in northern Saudi Arabia. An absolute minimum
Temperature of –5.6 C (Tabuk) and records of air temperature Ranging from 45 to 50 C are measured. An absolute maximum air temperature of 51.7 C (in Abqaiq)
It was reported in the eastern zone of the Arabian Gulf. The Agro climatic conditions in the central and the eastern Regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia fall under the arid. The rainfall variability is extremely high, as is the case in all desert regions. The annual precipitation at one station shows great differences from year to year.
Solution
It is important to find solutions to the problem of desertification in Saudi Arabia because the desert covers 90% of the area of the Kingdom and this need long term studies due to the size of the desert, difficult climate and lack of wild life. And here are suggested solutions for the problem of desertification:
1- Conservation of natural pastures and development of natural vegetation.
2- Prohibition for cutting trees to be used as an energy source.
3- The use of Storm water in agriculture.
4- Reducing overgrazing.
Pollution in the Kingdom and some of the surrounding Countries
Below we are showing the pollution in numbers between Saudi Arabia and the countries with similar economic and climatic conditions:
http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/
Conclusion
Pollution is not only an issue in Saudi Arabia but also in the whole entire world. However, in the essay there were different types of pollution in Saudi Arabia as follow; air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution and desertification. These issues were equally discussed from the cause to the effects finally to a suggested solution. For example, first, air pollution caused by different sources such as in city factories which affects breathing illnesses but a solution for that would be taking these factories to areas away from the cities and the living creatures. Second, water pollution caused, for example, chemical dumps into the water which effects the living creatures in it to solve this issue is to enforce more law against these dumps. Third, noise pollution made by different type of vehicles such as cars which studies showed that this pollution is a big cause of stress and heart attacks; however, solving this issue is harder but more education about it to help more understanding against the noise pollution. Finally, desertification in the wild life and deserted area in Saudi which is 90% of its land; this issue causes the sandstorms and different kind of pollutions which effects the health of human and other living creatures in Saudi. However, stopping the logging is one solution to help avoiding such pollution. To conclude, environmental organizations should do more in fighting pollution in Saudi and force more laws against it to finally live pollution free life in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.