New Implementing Regulations for Environmental Media Rehabilitation Plans Replace the Degraded and Contaminated Sites Regulations

On 30 October 2026, corresponding to 19/5/1448H, the Umm Al-Qura Gazette published a new decision of the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture on environmental rehabilitation. The decision approves the Implementing Regulations on the Controls for Preparing, Approving and Implementing Environmental Media Rehabilitation Plans. It was issued as Decision No. 481576617 dated 4/5/1448H and takes effect from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.

In Brief

The Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture has approved new implementing regulations governing the preparation, approval and implementation of environmental media rehabilitation plans. Clause Two of the decision provides that the new regulations replace the Degraded and Contaminated Sites Regulations issued in 1442H and their schedule of violations. Clause Three provides that the decision takes effect from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette and does not mention any transitional period. Every establishment whose activities are connected with site degradation or contamination should therefore review its position under the new regulations without delay.

What Exactly Was Issued?

Clause One of the decision approves the implementing regulations in the form attached to the decision. The title of the regulations indicates that they govern three stages, namely the preparation of rehabilitation plans, their approval and their implementation. The text we relied on for this article is the published issuing decision alone, without the articles of the regulations themselves.

For this reason we do not address here the details of the obligations set out in the articles of the regulations, because their text did not appear on the decision page we consulted. We advise reviewing the full text of the regulations before making any operational decision that depends on their detailed provisions.

What Did the New Regulations Replace?

Clause Two of the decision provides that the new regulations replace two instruments that were in force before it was issued. The first is the Implementing Regulations for the Environmental Rehabilitation of Degraded Sites and the Remediation of Contaminated Sites, issued by Ministerial Decision No. 436146/1/1442 dated 9/8/1442H. The second is the schedule of violations and penalties under those regulations, issued by Ministerial Decision No. 15029156 dated 4/2/1446H.

The replacement means that the new regulations have become the governing legal reference on this subject from the effective date of the decision. The previous schedule of violations is expressly covered by the replacement under Clause Two and, on the face of the text, is no longer a valid reference. The issuing decision does not clarify whether the new regulations include a replacement schedule of violations or whether a schedule will be issued later by a separate decision.

Has the Scope of Regulation Changed Compared with the Previous Regulations?

Readers will notice the change in title from the rehabilitation of degraded sites and the remediation of contaminated sites to the rehabilitation of environmental media. The new title also adds preparation, approval and implementation as controls that the regulations expressly govern.

This change may indicate a difference in scope or in regulatory approach, but the issuing decision alone does not settle the question. The extent of the change can only be determined accurately by comparing the articles of the two sets of regulations, their definitions and the scope of application of each.

When Does the Decision Take Effect?

Clause Three of the decision provides that it takes effect from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette. The decision page in the Umm Al-Qura Gazette shows the publication date as 19/5/1448H, corresponding to 30 October 2026.

Item	Date
Issuance of the ministerial decision	4/5/1448H
Publication in the Umm Al-Qura Gazette	19/5/1448H, corresponding to 30 October 2026
Effective date	From the date of publication in the Official Gazette

The decision does not provide a grace period for regularising status and does not specify how plans or procedures existing before its publication are to be treated. The articles of the regulations may themselves contain transitional provisions, so these should be checked before assuming immediate application to all cases.

What Legal Basis Does the Decision Rely On?

In issuing the decision, the Minister relied on Article Forty Eight of the Environment Law and the powers vested in him by law. The Environment Law was issued by Royal Decree No. M/165 dated 19/11/1441H, and the new regulations serve as implementing regulations under that law.

The decision also refers to Council of Ministers Resolution No. 406 dated 14/5/1445H approving the Organisational Statute of the General Organization for the Conservation of Coral Reefs and Turtles in the Red Sea. The issuing decision does not explain the effect of this statute on the provisions of the regulations, and this may relate to the organisation’s competences in the Red Sea.

Why Were Violations and Penalties Reconsidered?

The decision also relies on High Order No. 32043 dated 5/5/1444H. This order approved the view of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers that certain government entities should review their laws and regulations. The review covers laws, regulations and decisions relating to violations, penalties and fines, the mechanisms for assessment, collection and objections, and the proposal of necessary amendments.

The decision states that the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture is among the entities covered by this review. This basis is consistent with the replacement of the previous schedule of violations and penalties alongside the old regulations under Clause Two of the decision.

Who Is Concerned by These Regulations?

Judging by their title, the regulations concern anyone obliged to prepare, approve or implement a plan for the rehabilitation of an environmental medium. In practice this includes establishments and individuals whose activities are connected with site degradation or contamination as governed by the previous regulations. Identifying the obligated categories precisely depends on the definitions of the new regulations and the scope of application set out in their articles.

The matter is also relevant to legal and compliance departments that monitor an establishment’s obligations towards the competent environmental authorities. It is equally relevant to parties that prepare these plans or supervise their implementation on behalf of the establishments bound by them.

What About Plans and Violations Existing Before the Decision?

The issuing decision does not address the status of rehabilitation plans approved or under implementation under the previous regulations. Nor does it address violations recorded while the previous schedule was in force on which no final decision has yet been issued.

These matters require case by case examination with reference to the full text of the regulations and the general rules on the temporal application of laws. We recommend that an establishment should not assume either the continuation or the lapse of its previous position before verifying the provisions applicable to its case.

What Should Be Done Now

First, we recommend obtaining the full text of the new regulations from their official source and reading their definitions and scope of application carefully. The next step is to compare their obligations with those of the previous regulations to identify what has changed in the preparation, approval and implementation of plans.

Second, we recommend making an inventory of the sites and activities of the establishment that are subject to existing or potential rehabilitation plans. Approved plans and plans under preparation should then be reviewed to verify their consistency with the new provisions.

Third, we recommend reviewing any existing violations or proceedings issued on the basis of the previous schedule of violations. The replacement of the schedule may affect how these proceedings are handled, and this warrants a specific legal opinion for each case.

Finally, we recommend updating internal environmental compliance policies and amending any reference to the previous regulations so that it refers to the new regulations. It is also advisable to follow any guidelines or implementation forms related to the regulations that the competent authorities may issue.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the previous regulations still in force?

Clause Two of the decision provides that the new regulations replace the previous regulations issued in 1442H. The new regulations therefore became the governing reference from the date the decision was published in the Official Gazette.

Has the previous schedule of violations and penalties been repealed?

Clause Two of the decision covers the schedule of violations and penalties issued by Ministerial Decision No. 15029156 dated 4/2/1446H. The issuing decision does not set out the details of a replacement schedule, so the full text of the regulations should be consulted.

Is there a grace period for regularising status?

The issuing decision does not mention any grace period, and Clause Three provides that it takes effect from the date of publication. The articles of the regulations may contain transitional provisions, but this cannot be confirmed before reviewing their text.

What is meant by environmental media?

The issuing decision does not define this term, and its definition is most likely found in the articles of the regulations themselves or in the Environment Law. We advise relying on the statutory definition when determining whether an establishment’s activity is subject to the regulations.

If your establishment is subject to rehabilitation plans or has existing violations under the previous schedule, Perfect Solution Lawyers and Consultants would be pleased to review its position with you. You can learn more about our services in Governance and Compliance or request a meeting with our specialist team.

The official source is the decision of the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture published in the Umm Al-Qura Gazette.

This article is for general awareness and does not constitute legal advice.