JEDDAH: Prince Turki bin Mohammed bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz recently toured the Kingdom’s recently named DarkSky International site, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.
The prince visited the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve after it was officially recognized last week.
Prince Turki, who is a minister of state and chairman of the reserve’s development authority, was accompanied by Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Muqrin bin Abdulaziz, deputy governor of the Hail region.
During the visit, Prince Turki met with members of the local community, reviewed grazing conditions in the area, and toured historical sites.
The DarkSky designation represents a national achievement that reflects Saudi Arabia’s advanced regional and global environmental standing and its commitment to protecting rare environments, the SPA reported.
Prince Turki said the achievement was made possible by the support of the Kingdom’s leadership in line with the goals of Vision 2030.
He added that the designation of the Nafud Al-Kabir Desert as a DarkSky site highlights the Kingdom’s pioneering approach to international environmental initiatives amid growing global light pollution.
International studies indicate that around 80 percent of the world’s people now live under skies affected by light pollution.
Prince Turki was briefed on the scientific and regulatory efforts undertaken by the authority to reduce light pollution and implement internationally recognized DarkSky management standards.
These efforts aim to preserve the site’s astronomical characteristics, support ecosystem sustainability, and position the area as a hub for astronomical tourism and scientific research, the SPA reported.
The Nafud Al-Kabir Desert is one of the largest accredited sites in the region, covering approximately 13,416 sq. km.
It joins more than 250 protected dark-sky areas worldwide, further strengthening the Kingdom’s position among leading countries in this field.
The Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve Development Authority aims to establish the location as a leading environmental destination and center for astronomy tourism, the SPA reported.
There are more than 160,000 sq. km of land protected from light pollution across 22 countries on six continents.
