FaceOf: Dr. Khalil bin Musleh Al-Thaqafi, president of the General Authority of Meteorology and Environmental Protection

Dr. Khalil bin Musleh Al-Thaqafi

• Al-Thaqafi was awarded the National Service Award by Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, who was the governor of Asir region at the time

Dr. Khalil bin Musleh Al-Thaqafi has been the president of the General Authority of Meteorology and Environmental Protection (PME) since April 2017.
PME is tasked with measuring the level of air pollutants in Makkah and other holy sites during the Hajj season in compliance with industrial and environmental establishments and facilities and in accordance with regulatory standard guidelines.
PME recently began employing women in environmental inspection teams in line with a decree to support environmental inspection, assessments to reduce pollution, safeguarding public health, and to improve quality of life.
This week PME completed its operational plan for this year’s Hajj season, providing pilgrims with an electronic guide transmitting the most accurate and up-to-date meteorological and environmental information through an integrated system in multiple languages.
Al-Thaqafi was awarded the National Service Award by Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, who was the governor of Asir region at the time, as a distinguished academic faculty member and the most active in national service in 1417 A.H (1997), among other awards and certificates.
Al-Thaqafi attained a bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences from King Abdul Aziz University in cooperation with the University of Arizona in 1984, a master’s degree in environmental sciences from Manchester, UK in 1988, and a Ph.D. in pollution and environmental protection from the University of Manchester in 1991.
Prior to his role as president of the PME, Al-Thaqafi’s roles included head of the Environmental Health Department from 1985-1986 and head of the Health Awareness and Environmental Health Department from 1986-1987.
He was assigned to work with the scientific group established to combat oil pollution, based on the approval that is specific to execute the national plan to combat pollution in the Arabian Gulf in 1991 for six months.