Bahrain’s Environmental Legal Tools for Giving Effect to Sustainable Development Goals: An Assessment

Abstract

Sustainable development in Bahrain is considered one of the national core objectives in the Government Action Plan. Bahrain has enacted environmental legislation and adopted the National Environment Strategy. This study examines the appropriateness of the current environmental legislations in the context of SDGs. To achieve this goal; a scoping review was conducted to assess their compatibility. The study revealed that the successful integration of SDGs with the current environmental legislations can be carried out by recognising the challenges highlighted in the 2030 Agenda. This study suggests the quick-updating of the current environmental legislations in line with SDGs. There is still room for improvement, and more comprehensive and sustainable approaches need to be developed in the environment dimension to stay on track to reach the SDGs. The policies should factor in the possible linkage opportunities to develop a holistic management approach in the implementation, considering the international conventions’ obligations. The study can be deemed as the first attempt to examine the consistency of the SDGs with the national environmental legal framework, which can be employed to enhance the sustainable practices. Moreover, the study develops a simple framework that can assist in reviewing, keeping the legislations and strategy consistent with the SDGs.

The Role of Industrial Sector in Pollution Control in the Context of Sustainable Development Goals

“…At the national level, environmental policies should be coherent and holistic management approach consistent with the SDGs, considering the international conventions' commitments to enhance sustainable practices [54], and sustainable manufacturing practices are the primary strategies for sustainable development [55]. Therefore, there is an urgent need to control industrial pollution by implementing sustainable practices such as resource efficiency, zero waste, sustainable products, and innovative environmental approaches to lessen environmental impacts and improve the social state [14,[56][57][58].…”

Micro- and Nano-Plastics Contaminants in the Environment: Sources, Fate, Toxicity, Detection, Remediation, and Sustainable Perspectives

“…Calls for institutional policies to enforce classifications of hazardous polymers have also been made [14]. Additionally, national policies should explicitly and systematically reflect environmental obligations [15]. However, very little research has been done on the quantities, types, and toxicity of NPs, as well as their effects on human health.…”

Towards Effective Environmental Sustainability Reporting in the Large Industrial Sector of Bahrain

“…Since the companies that responded to self-sustainability reporting integrated the national legislation compliance requirements with sustainability reporting, this has given policymakers the opportunity to revise or amend future legislation to ensure compliance with the law through sustainability reporting activities. In this regard, Rashed stated that, at the national level, there is an urgent need for serious action to activate the vision of the 2030 Agenda and its core 17 SDGs by promoting policy coherence by amalgamating the legal policy aspects of the environmental, economical, technical, institutional, and sociocultural dimensions [151]. 7.…”