Conservation of biological diversity and the sustainable use of the resources of the Earth are enshrined in Islamic law and principles. It is therefore fitting that in 2001 the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia became a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity that seeks to ensure the conservation of species and their habitats for all time.

Maintaining biodiversity through protection and sustainable use of resources is both a responsibility and a necessity for any country. In Saudi Arabia, where many terrestrial ecosystems have small numbers of species and little inbuilt redundancy, it is particularly critical that no more species or functional groups of species are lost. Furthermore, the long history of human occupancy means that the country has a wealth of locally adapted races of plants and breeds of domestic animals. Changes in farming practises, influx of breeds and cultivars from elsewhere and introduction of parasites and pathogens could result in loss of priceless genetic material.

Saudi Arabia has since the mid 1970s introduced and implemented legislation that provides a sound basis for conservation and sustainable use of natural resources in a framework that allows the benefits to be shared by all citizens.

Saudi Arabuia includes portions of  two of the eight global terrestrial realms, 
namely the Paleartic(Europe and Asia) and the afrotropical (Africa south of
the Sahara).It is thus an area of great ecological significance.