Ashraf AboArafe
The Kingdom is moving on the path of transformation towards environmental sustainability in accordance with the goals of its future vision 2030, at a pace characterized in its stages by providing successful experiences regionally and globally by preserving natural resources, protecting and developing vegetation, reducing encroachments on it, restoring biodiversity and promoting its growth and prosperity, and protecting unique habitats and natural reserves. This contributes to mitigating the effects of climate change and reducing desertification, all of which are main foundations for a more sustainable environment, in which this generation and future generations can enjoy and improve their quality of life.
The process of transformation in the environmental sector began with the issuance of several supportive regulations and legislation. In 2016, a royal order was issued to change the name of the Ministry of Agriculture to become the “Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture,” and transfer responsibility for the environment and water to this ministry.
In the same year, the King Salman Program for Environmental Awareness and Sustainable Development initiative was implemented, aiming to increase awareness of the importance of preserving the environment and promoting sustainable development. A national program was also established to build the capabilities of government agencies in monitoring and measuring indicators of the localization of sustainable development in the Kingdom, in addition to launching the national strategy. For the environment, which served as a road map towards development in the environmental sector.
The train of achievements has not stopped for a day since the Kingdom turned its attention to the environmental field and gave it great attention, which was clearly reflected in the institutions and entities that were solid pillars of a new era and an unprecedented transformation in the environmental sector. For example, the Prince Sultan Institute for Environmental, Water and Desert Research was established, which is considered one of the most important… Specific projects in the field of supporting scientific and applied research in the fields of environment, water and desert, in addition to establishing a research fund for energy and the environment, which supports research and innovations in the field of sustainable energy and environmental protection. The Kingdom is also the owner of the largest environmental reconstruction project in history, which is the project related to post-war reforms. Gulf; It invested more than $1.1 billion in repairing environmental damage caused by the war.
Efforts to improve the environmental sector in the Kingdom culminated in creating a fundamental shift in institutional frameworks with the aim of ensuring quality implementation and sustainability, through the establishment of five specialized centers in environmental fields and the establishment of the Environment Fund and the Special Forces for Environmental Security. The centers included (the National Center of Meteorology, and the National Center for Vegetation Development and Combating Desertification). The National Center for Environmental Compliance Supervision, in addition to the National Center for Wildlife Development and the National Center for Waste Management.
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud – may God protect him – also issued a royal order to establish a council for royal reserves in the Royal Court, headed by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud – may God protect him -, within the framework of his interest in preserving… On the environmental wealth and wildlife in the Kingdom, and paying attention to biodiversity and providing a balance between current life and the future of the environment.
The establishment of royal reserves represented a pioneering and important step towards strengthening national efforts to preserve the environment in the Kingdom. These reserves work to preserve ecosystems, provide life resources, and develop the surrounding rural areas. They also increase their vegetation cover and support the manufacture of medicinal drugs extracted from aromatic plants found in these environments. The reserves also support the Kingdom’s role in preserving biological diversity across the world. International level, and contributes to the development of ecotourism.
Since the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia approached the transition to the green era, it has diligently raised the banner of afforestation in fulfillment of its duty towards the environment. It has launched two creative initiatives that will change the local and regional reality (the Middle East) with regard to the green era that the world is witnessing, in which the Kingdom will lead the wheel of change through the Saudi Green Initiative and the Green Middle East Initiative to protect the environment, wildlife and livestock, promote the green economy, combat climate change, and implement Circular carbon economy, preserving ecosystems, and increasing green spaces.
Through the Saudi Green Initiative – for example – the Kingdom is witnessing the planting of 10 billion trees, or the equivalent of rehabilitating 40 million hectares of degraded lands, which is an important step to preserve biodiversity and improve the quality of lands and natural resources locally. It also seeks to increase the proportion of protected areas to more than 30% of the total land area. In addition, according to Vision 2030, Saudi cities will be reshaped and transformed into green and smart cities in a sustainable manner, expanding greening in urban areas to improve air quality and encourage a healthy lifestyle for citizens.
The National Center for Vegetation Development and Combat Desertification launched seven ambitious initiatives seeking to achieve the goals of the Green Saudi Initiative, which included vegetation lands under its supervision. These initiatives are divided as follows:
The initiative aims to increase vegetation cover by rehabilitating 300,000 hectares of degraded forest areas, and reforesting valleys and areas that have been subjected to significant logging. The initiative’s efforts include planting 60 million local trees, with a focus on sustainable management of forest areas and maintaining environmental balance.
In order to preserve pastures, the goals were to rehabilitate 8 million hectares of pastures in 26 different locations in the Kingdom, reduce the impact of sand storms, improve public health, and provide nature-based solutions to sequester carbon and combat climate change and desertification.
The initiative’s goals included reducing carbon emissions by 4 million tons, combating desertification, and restoring biodiversity and providing nature-based solutions to sequester carbon and combat climate change. By planting 10 million trees, this initiative contributes to achieving sustainable development goals, contributes to protecting the environment and enhancing the values of ecotourism.
Through joint efforts, the initiative strengthened cooperation with the royal reserves to plant seven million wild trees in the royal reserves, with the aim of providing nature-based solutions to sequester carbon and combat climate change, combat desertification and restore plant biodiversity, reduce carbon emissions by 2.8 million tons, and help improve the quality of land. Life and support of ecotourism.
The initiative aims to plant and protect 18 million local trees in public sector areas over a period of 10 years, and aims to reduce carbon emissions by 7.2 million tons and provide nature-based solutions to sequester carbon and combat climate change.
The Center’s approach has diversified in its initiatives by involving the private sector in afforestation with the aim of planting and protecting 40 million local trees in areas affiliated with the private sector over a period of 10 years, aiming to reduce carbon emissions by 16 million tons and preserve ecosystems and biodiversity.
The initiative aims to study the planting of 10 billion trees within the Kingdom during the coming decades. And the rehabilitation of approximately 40 million hectares of degraded vegetation lands, which contributes to increasing vegetation cover and improving the quality of life, providing additional natural habitats for endangered animal species, and contributing to mitigating the current effects and risks of climate change.
