Saudi Green Initiative is Set to Provide 10b Trees to Combat Desertification and Climate Change, Report

As part of its objectives, the Saudi Green Initiative affirms the Kingdom's pioneering role and work to bring about a qualitative shift internally and regionally towards climate change to build a better future and improve the quality of life, a report issued here today said.

The report was issued to highlight the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) forum, which will be hosted in Riyadh next Saturday to contribute to unifying all plans aimed at achieving sustainability in the Kingdom, increasing reliance on clean energy and reducing carbon emissions, as well as, combating climate change

Since the launch of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 in 2016, the Kingdom has made effective efforts to protect the environment and reduce the effects of climate change. .

The Saudi Green Initiative will combine environmental protection, energy conversion, and sustainability programs to achieve three comprehensive goals aimed at building a sustainable future for all by reducing carbon emissions, afforestation of areas of the Kingdom, and protecting land and sea areas.

On the energy side, reducing carbon emissions is critical to slowing the effects of climate change and rebalancing the environment, as the Kingdom is making unremitting efforts to strengthen and unify efforts to combat the climate crisis under the auspices of the Saudi Green Initiative by implementing a growing group of renewable energy projects, and reducing carbon emissions by more than 4 % of the global contribution by providing 50% of electricity production through renewable energy projects by 2030 as well as, removing about 130 million tons of carbon emissions through the implementation of many projects in the field of clean hydrocarbon technology, and raising the percentage of waste diversion on landfills to 94%. Furthermore, the project is aimed at providing buildings, various industries and means of transportation with the necessary energy efficiently and effectively for progress and achievement through current renewable energy projects that will produce enough energy to supply 600,000 homes with electricity, which means reducing greenhouse gases by the equivalent of 7 million tons annually. Moreover, $7b. will be invested annually in solutions that contribute to reducing carbon emissions by the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCL) in which Saudi Aramco is a founding member, and more than 35 initiatives will be allocated to enhance energy efficiency throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to reduce its consumption and waste. Also as part of the strategic plan to expand the railway network, the length of the railways will reach 9,900 km, which will contribute to reducing traffic congestion and carbon emissions from vehicles.

The environmental aspect will have the planting of 10 billion trees throughout the Kingdom to transform the desert into green land and rehabilitate 40 million hectares of land during the coming decades, which is the cornerstone of the Saudi Green Initiative, as afforestation contributes to improving air quality, reducing sand storms and combating desertification, in addition to lowering temperatures in neighboring areas.

The Kingdom, as a leading global oil producer, is fully aware of our share of responsibility in advancing the combat against the climate crisis, as it seeks to provide innovative solutions that support the combat against climate change, and at a time when reliance on renewable energy sources has become an imperative need, whereas the Saudi Green Initiative will support the Kingdom’s efforts to become a leader in the field of sustainability at the global level.

The Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) Forum will highlight the Kingdom's efforts to protect the environment, in light of the presence of global leaders from various fields of society, and will lead the forum to take significant measures and launch innovative solutions that contribute to combating climate change.

The forum will aim to mobilize the efforts of the entire community, promote meaningful dialogue to reach effective solutions through opinions enhanced by scientific evidence presented by senior environmental experts in the world, and develop a roadmap for the initiative through a comprehensive plan for the Kingdom to achieve and follow up on its ambitious goals, as well as, the Kingdom's commitment to combating climate change and expanding the scope of its ambitions and climate goals.

It will also bring together under one roof the entire climate system to achieve ambitious national goals, under the slogan of a new era of action: oases comes alive by highlighting in the Forum the oceans, atmosphere, space, and species to convey an important message that the vibrant oases should be our natural environment therefore sustainable for humanity to thrive.

Source: Saudi Press Agency