day Gulf Environmental Forum concluded here Tuesday with the signing of two memorandums of understanding between the Saudi Environmental Society and Ministry of Education, and between Saudi Environmental Society and the Jeddah Municipality. Agreements were signed by Prince Turki Bin Nasser, President of Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME); Prince Faisal Bin Abdullah Bin Muhammad Al- Saud, and Dr. Hani Bin Mohammed Abu Ras, Mayor of Jeddah, to enhance awareness of environmental protection and to establish environmental and autism centers. Prince Turki said the event's activities will help protect the environment for the next generation. He thanked Prince Faisal for attending the gathering and said meetings of this nature will help find solutions for the region's environmental problems. Prince Turki said that there is no better place to understand the importance of the environment and that protection of the environment and nature is our religious responsibility. Dr. Majda Abu Ras gave a presentation about the environmental center and requested 14,000 square meters of land for it. The complex would address needs to share natural resources, provide awareness programs, conduct forums and international programs, and conduct courses on environmental protection, Dr. Abu Ras said. Ahmed Al Zuhabi, manager of the Autistic Society, requested 10,000 square meters of land to build the Saudi Autistic Center, which would meet all international standards and fulfill the region's requirements. He said they want to establish the building in Jeddah so children from Madina to Makkah can be treated and provided with the best facilities and services. Meanwhile, experts at the forum discussed suggestions to protect the environment with the use of technology. Dr. Taha Mohammed Zatari, Director General of Environmental Standards General Directorate, PME, said as much as technology can help, there is a great need to implement and enforce policies and rules to protect the environment. Dr. Zatari emphasized the use of solar energy to reduce pollution, especially air pollution. Dr. Osama Faqeeha, General Supervisor, Environmental Engineering, at Saudi Aramco shared what Aramco is doing to protect the environment and said its top managers are committed to the environmental project. Dr. Tahir Husain, Professor of Environmental Engineering at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, explained the issues and challenges of the air pollution and the importance of air quality, especially in urban areas. Experts said that in the last 10 years, governments have been setting standards and regulations to protect the earth from pollution; they stressed the need to apply the calibrated global rules.
