For much of the region's history, environmental regulations were nonexistent.  But over the last 20 years, many countries have begun to make progress and establish environmental laws and enforcement agencies.

Usually, command and control systems are used for environmental regulation.  Such processes are arguably less efficient than other systems utilized by more advanced countries.

Every country in Western Asia now has an environmental agency or ministry.  Often, these organizations both set the national laws and enforce them.

In 1984, Oman became the first country in the area to create a cabinet-level group when it created the Ministry for Environment and Water.  Seven years later, the group became the Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Environment.

Syria created the Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs to oversee all national environmental policy.  The agency also conducts studies in the country and creates new environmental regulations.

Environmental Authorities exist in Kuwait and Bahrain.  Saudi Arabia has had the Meteorology and Environmental Protection Administration since 1981, and Lebanon created a Ministry of Environment in 1993.

Much environmental policy in Western Asia remains uncoordinated because national agencies are not sufficiently powerful.  Often, other non-environmental government agencies develop environmental departments to deal with environmental issues.

Dating back to Kuwait in 1964, many West-Asian countries have formulated environmental legislation.  Notable among these are Iraq's Environment Protection and Improvement Act of 1986, Saudi Arabia's Environmental Protection Standards of 1982, and the Law Protecting the Environment in Kuwait of 1980.