GASTAT Highlights Growth In Saudi Arabia's Protected Areas And Environmental Statistics For 2023

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) has reported significant growth in Saudi Arabia's protected areas. According to the Environment Statistics Publication 2023, land designated as protected increased by 7.1%, reaching 361,000 square kilometers. This area now represents 18.1% of the Kingdom's total land area. Marine protected regions also expanded by 17.7%, covering 14,000 square kilometers compared to the previous year.

Annual precipitation in Saudi Arabia rose notably in 2023, with an average of 152 millimeters recorded. This figure marks a substantial increase of 53.4% from the previous year. Additionally, dams collected a remarkable volume of floodwater, totaling 1,564 million cubic meters in 2023, which is a significant rise of 164.1% from the prior year.

The reuse of treated water saw an increase of 13.3% in 2023 compared to the previous year. This reused water accounted for 25.2% of the total treated water volume. Meanwhile, municipal waste collection experienced a decline of 4.6%, amounting to 19.8 million tons in 2023 compared to the previous year.

Green spaces within municipalities expanded by 3.2% in 2023, while gardens and parks grew by 1.4% compared to the previous year. National parks covered an area of 340 million square meters and included approximately 2.6 million planted trees during this period.

The Environment Statistics Publication was developed using the United Nations Framework for the Development of Environment Statistics (FDES 2013). GASTAT relied on two primary sources: its own statistics from censuses and sample surveys, and data from administrative records provided by various ministries and environmental authorities.

These sources include the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture; the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing; the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu; the Saudi Water Authority; and several environmental centers.

This comprehensive approach ensures that the statistics reflect accurate environmental changes within Saudi Arabia, providing valuable insights into national efforts towards sustainability and conservation.

With inputs from SPA