Signed by 150 government leaders at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, the Convention on Biological Diversity is dedicated to promoting sustainable development. The Convention recognizes that biological diversity is about more than plants, animals and micro organisms and their ecosystems - it is about people and our need for food security, medicines, fresh air and water, shelter, and a clean and healthy environment in which to live. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia signed the Convention and currently play an active rule in Biodiversity protection and sustainable development programs
In order to accomplish the commitments arising from the United Nation's Framework for the Convention of Biodiversity and Climate Change (UNFCCC), several organizations in Saudi Arabia, namely the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development (NCWCD), the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME) and the Ministry of Agriculture have been especially interested in assessing the vulnerability and adaptation of plants and wildlife to the current climatic changes. These assessments are generally associated with the performance of vulnerability studies aimed at defining the potential impact of the climate changes on the biodiversity of this country and the well-being of the society as a whole. The resulting information is designed to assist the Government of Saudi Arabia to attain a better understanding of the urgency for developing more and more information on the impact of climatic change.
Unlike many other countries, the percentage of rare and endangered species is very high in Saudi Arabia. About 600 plant species are considered as rare or endangered. The loss of flora and fauna in Saudi Arabia is probably higher than any other country in the Middle East. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is passing through a series of socio-economic changes as part of her development programs. As a result of these developments, large areas of virgin land in the mountainous regions and the range lands in the Northern, Eastern and Central regions are being use for urban and agricultural purposes. In addition to this, the dramatic fluctuations in climate which resulted in periodic drought have made it much more difficult for fauna and flora to survive in their natural habitats.
Saudi Arabia's biodiversity are under threat from multiple stresses. Such as, climate change. There are several other problems destroying the ecosystems, together with the destruction of wild life. These negative trends lead to habitat loss and fragmentation of species-rich ecosystems. Saudi Arabia, being located in the arid part of the world is expected to experience faster warming due to climate change than countries located in the tropical or temperature regions. However, significant variation can be anticipated due to the size of the country, its diverse landscapes and also its proximity to the Red Sea coast on the western side and the Arabian Gulf on the eastern side. The vulnerability and adaptive capacity of plants, wildlife, their ecosystems to climate change and the possible potential consequences of climate change are in need of urgent studies.