Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — Saudi Arabia is not only content with applying its unique stamp of environmental and energy sustainability in its mega projects and giant transformative programs, but also continues disseminating the lofty ideals of the its Vision 2030 to the world by announcing a raft of ambitious initiatives, the latest of which were the green initiatives. The "Green Saudi" and the "Green Middle East" initiatives, the largest of their kind in the world, are aimed to protect the planet through containing climate change and promoting nature and thus enabling the Kingdom emerge as a global leader in forging a greener world. Late last month, Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, announced the "Saudi Green Initiative" and the "Green Middle East Initiative" that clearly chart the path for the Kingdom and the region in protecting the planet by clearly defining an ambitious road map with major landmarks and goals that significantly contribute to achieving the global targets in confronting climate change. The Crown Prince said that the Kingdom and the region face many environmental challenges, such as desertification and air pollution from greenhouse gases. The initiatives will raise vegetation cover, reduce carbon emissions, combat pollution, land degradation, and preserve marine life. The "Green Saudi" and the "Green Middle East" initiatives will include planting 50 billion trees, of which the Kingdom's share would be 10 billion trees over the coming decades. This represents four percent of the Kingdom's contribution to achieving the goals of the global initiative to limit the land degradation and fungal habitats, and one percent of the global target to plant a trillion trees. Saudi Arabia intends to start work on the "Green Middle East Initiative" together with the Gulf, Arab and the Middle Eastern countries by planting 40 billion trees. The two initiatives have gained global support from numerous countries as well as from international organizations. The "Green Saudi Arabia" Forum will be held in the middle of this year, while the "Green Middle East" Summit will take place by the end of 2021. Hopefully, these two initiatives would be pivotal and remarkable in mapping out the future of the planet.
