This paper examines public acceptance of reusing tertiary treated wastewater for agricultural purposes in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected through an online self-administered questionnaire from adults in the Al-Ahsa Governorate. A total of 344 eligible participants completed the survey. The results show that 77% of the participants supported the reuse of treated wastewater in agriculture. Most participants supported reusing treated wastewater because they trusted the authorities responsible for wastewater treatment and because it will augment water resources in Al-Ahsa. Participants who did not support reusing treated wastewater attributed their lack of support to health risks associated with reusing treated wastewater and for psychological reasons. Additional analysis for eight different agricultural applications showed that most participants supported the reuse of treated wastewater in applications with no direct connection to them (e.g., irrigation of public parks, green spaces, and woody trees and irrigation of animal feed crops). However, less than half of the participants supported the reuse of treated wastewater for other applications, especially for the irrigation of leafy green, raw, and cooked vegetables. Therefore, raising public awareness about the safety of reusing tertiary treated wastewater in agriculture should be a priority for authorities responsible for water management in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia faces rising urban water demand, yet significant regional disparities in daily per capita consumption persist despite uniform national pricing and policies. This study aims to identify the drivers of these disparities across the kingdom’s 13 administrative regions. We analyzed data on water consumption, climate, socio-demographics, property characteristics, environmental awareness, and institutional factors using descriptive statistics and correlations. Results indicate notable consumption variations, with Riyadh and the Eastern Region exhibiting the highest levels, while Asir, Jazan, and Najran exhibit the lowest. Appliance ownership—particularly washing machines (r = 0.75) and Western-style toilets (r = 0.77)—along with access to public water services (r = 0.73), and higher incomes (r = 0.58), positively correlated with increased usage, whereas, younger populations (r = −0.76), reliance on water tanks (r = −0.71), and attitude towards water scarcity (r = −0.69) were associated with lower consumption. Conservation practices showed mixed effects on water use. Overall, regional disparities are primarily driven by property characteristics, environmental awareness, and socioeconomic factors rather than climatic influences. This suggests a need for regionally tailored water policies that complement national standards. Addressing these variations will enable policymakers to design targeted water management strategies that balance consumption needs with water availability.

The rising global demand for food and energy has led to growing attention to the nexus between food security and renewable energy. This study aims to investigate the impacts and shocks of renewable energy consumption, particularly solar and wind energy, on food availability and stability in Saudi Arabia, by assessing both short-term and long-term effects. We use the time series annual data covering the period (2000–2022) analyzed by applying the Vector Autoregressive (VAR) model system and its environment, Granger causality, the forecast-error variance decompositions (FEVD), and the impulse response functions (IRFs). The VAR results indicated that wind renewable energy positively affects food availability; one unit of wind energy consumption will significantly increase food availability by 3.16% (Z value 2.017 at a 5% significance level), and no statistically significant coefficients are associated with food stability. Also, the results confirmed that one unit of renewable energy consumption from solar will significantly increase food stability by 36.5% in Saudi Arabia (Z-value 1.682 at a 10% significance level). The Granger causality results concluded that solar energy has a bidirectional Granger causality with food availability but not food stability. The FEVD results showed that solar energy shocks have more persistent impacts in explaining the rapid increase in food security than wind energy shocks in both the short and long term. The IRFs concluded that food availability has shown a positive and steady increase in response to wind energy. This study provides practical recommendations for policymakers to balance energy transition goals with food security concerns. Future research should explore emerging technologies in wind and solar energy that can enhance efficiency and sustainability while minimizing adverse effects on food security.

This study investigates the public acceptance and willingness to pay (WTP) for nuclear energy in Saudi Arabia, a country seeking to diversify its energy portfolio under Vision 2030. Utilizing a cross-sectional survey of 403 residents, the research employs descriptive statistics, regression analysis, and a SWOT analysis to explore the socio-economic and perceptual drivers of public attitudes. The findings reveal that 82.4% of participants support nuclear energy, with a mean WTP of 38.2% of their monthly electricity bill for its development. Key factors positively influencing acceptance include age and knowledge about nuclear energy, while environmental concerns and being married are associated with lower support. Notably, trust in government oversight (64.8%) and the prospect of a new energy source (62.7%) are major reasons for support, whereas health and environmental risks (74.6%) are the primary concerns for opponents. This study provides crucial, evidence-based insights for policymakers, marking the first Saudi-specific research to jointly examine WTP, acceptance determinants through econometric modeling, and strategic implications via SWOT analysis, highlighting the need for targeted public engagement and transparent communication strategies to address public concerns and ensure the successful and sustainable integration of nuclear energy into Saudi Arabia’s energy mix.

Dairy farming plays a crucial role in Saudi Arabia’s agricultural industry. However, the intensive milk production process exerts pressure on local water and energy resources. This study aims to examine the impact of water stress and renewable energy consumption shocks on milk production in Saudi Arabia by using data from 2000 to 2021. The empirical analysis used the VAR model, Granger causality, forecast error variance decompositions (FEVDs), and impulse response functions (IRFs). The presence of a negative significant interdependence between total milk production and water stress levels in agriculture was observed. Significant bidirectional causality relationships among the variables were noted. The FEVD results show that water stress levels in agriculture are becoming a more dominant driver of variations in total milk production in Saudi Arabia, while the empirical evidence of the IRFs implies that milk production increases when both water stress levels and renewable energy are present. The adoption of water recycling and reuse systems on dairy farms can help farmers to improve water use efficiency. The encouragement of decision makers to formulate policies to support sustainable water resource management, reduce environmental impact, accelerate technological advancements, and initiate positive socioeconomic outcomes for the dairy industry is highly recommended.