Saudi Arabia Highlights Environmental Efforts to Combat Desertification, Drought on World Day

Saudi Arabia is joining the global community in observing World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, held annually on June 17 to raise awareness about the urgent need to address desertification, land degradation, and drought.
 On the occasion, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture highlighted that Saudi Arabia’s geography is defined by remarkable diversity, including vast deserts, mountains, coasts, plains, valleys, and agricultural lands, supporting unique biodiversity adapted to varying climatic conditions.
 To safeguard this environment and promote sustainability, the Kingdom has launched several ambitious initiatives, most notably the Saudi Green Initiative, which aims to plant 10 billion trees over the coming decades. As part of this vision, 86 initiatives and programs are currently being implemented under the Saudi Green umbrella, with investments exceeding SAR705 billion across various sectors of the green economy.
 These projects seek to fulfill the objectives of the initiative: reducing carbon emissions, expanding afforestation across the Kingdom, and protecting both terrestrial and marine ecosystems, all aligned with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 to foster a sustainable, prosperous economy and enhance the overall quality of life.
 The ministry highlighted several key achievements to date, including the rehabilitation of over 313,000 hectares of degraded land and the planting of more than 115 million trees across the Kingdom. Additionally, over 118,000 hectares of land have been reclaimed; 18.1% of terrestrial areas and 6.49% of marine areas have been designated for protection; and more than 8,277 endangered species have been reintroduced into natural reserves.
 As part of its public engagement efforts, the ministry launched a national environmental initiative aimed at promoting environmental education, raising awareness of key ecological issues, fostering a sense of individual and collective responsibility for environmental protection, reducing all forms of pollution, conserving natural resources, and supporting sustainable development.
 It also noted that the Kingdom’s hosting of the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification marked a historic milestone in advancing global momentum to combat land degradation and strengthen resilience to drought. This event represented the culmination of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing efforts and reaffirmed its leadership in environmental stewardship, particularly in addressing land degradation and drought-related challenges.
 Key outcomes from COP16 included the launch of an international sand and dust storm monitoring initiative, the Business 4 Land Initiative, and the Riyadh Action Agenda.