Saudi Arabia unveils roadmap to plant 10 bln trees

Logo of Saudi Green Initiative

Saudi Arabia unveiled today, Oct. 9, its roadmap to plant 10 billion trees, as part of both national and international commitments to combat climate challenges and enhance citizens' quality of life by reaping long-term economic and social benefits through afforestation.

This aligns with the Saudi Green Initiative led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Prime Minister, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

This initiative coincides with the second MENA Climate Week, which is hosted by Saudi Arabia for the first time from October 8th to 12th, 2023, in Riyadh.

The roadmap involves a strategic plan to enhance vegetation cover across diverse habitats, including urban areas, highways, and green spaces, benefiting the well-being of the majority of the kingdom's urban population.

Urban areas will benefit from denser tree planting, reducing temperatures by 2.2 degrees Celsius and enhancing air quality.

Moreover, the roadmap's implementation will generate job opportunities in tree planting, land preparation, water reuse networks, and new park and garden creation, fostering innovative sustainability.

The Saudi Green Initiative, one of the world's largest reforestation efforts, addresses environmental challenges including lower rainfall, shrinking arable land, and deforestation below global averages.

The initial aim of planting 10 billion trees is equivalent to reclaiming 40 million hectares of land.

The study raised the goal to reclaim 74.8 million hectares of land, with the aim of planting 10 billion trees, representing 1% of the global reforestation target and 20% of the Middle East Green Initiative's goal to plant 50 billion trees.

The roadmap is the result of a two-year scientific study conducted by the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture and the National Center for Vegetation Cover in collaboration with experts from various fields.

The study included sustainable irrigation methods and assessed the compatibility of tree species with the environment. It involved over 1,150 field surveys to determine optimal planting locations, considering factors like soil, water, temperature, wind, and elevation.

It also included a comprehensive assessment of relevant sectors, utilizing scientific recommendations and advanced technologies.

The roadmap will have two phases: the first from 2024 to 2030, focusing on nature-based environmental rehabilitation. The second starts in 2030, emphasizing human-based rehabilitation efforts.

Saudi Arabia is home to more than 2,000 plant species in various habitats like mangroves, wetlands, mountain forests, and meadows. The goal is to plant 600 million trees by 2030, restore 3.8 million hectares of land, and emphasize biodiversity conservation in the 10-billion-tree initiative.

The roadmap unveiled today does not mark the beginning of afforestation efforts. Between 2017 and 2023, 41 million trees were planted across the Kingdom.