Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Prime Minister and Chairman of the Higher Committee for the Saudi Green Initiative, announced the second edition of the Middle East Green Initiative (MGI) Summit and the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) Forum to be held next month in tandem with COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. Held under the theme 'From ambition to action', the MGI Summit will take place on 7 November and the SGI Forum on 11-12 November. The Crown Prince said: "I would like to thank President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and the Egyptian government for hosting the MGI Summit and SGI Forum in Egypt this year. We are holding them in tandem with COP27, an event bringing nations from around the world together under one roof, to advance global climate ambitions by inspiring joint activity at local, regional, and international levels. Our partnership with Egypt reflects a shared belief in the importance of collaborative action to address the environmental and climate challenges facing the region and the world today." Building on the success of the inaugural summit, which was hosted in Riyadh last year, the second edition of the MGI Summit will be held in conjunction with the COP27 World Leaders Summit, in partnership with Egypt. During the event, the Kingdom will shed light on the key climate challenges facing the Middle East and North Africa region, ensuring regional priorities are placed on the global stage. The MGI Summit is a strategic regional platform that promotes cross-border cooperation, knowledge exchange and discussion between heads of state, relevant government ministers and policy makers. The first-of-its kind summit contributes to accelerating the transition toward a green economy and building a more sustainable future for generations. The second edition of the SGI Forum will convene an elite lineup of climate experts and thought leaders to discuss the progress that has been made toward achieving the climate targets announced by the Kingdom last year. The theme of this year's forum, 'From ambition to action', reflects Saudi Arabia's determination to turn these targets into reality by catalyzing collective action to confront climate challenges that impact the entire world. MGI and SGI were launched by the Crown Prince in 2021 to enhance Saudi Arabia's environmental action, in line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030. The initiatives demonstrate Saudi Arabia's dedication to addressing environmental challenges facing the country and the region including high temperatures, low rainfall, dust storms and desertification. The launch of MGI and SGI also reflect the Kingdom's commitment to advancing public health and improving the standard of living for its citizens and residents. Under SGI, the Kingdom will plant 10 billion trees across the country and designate 30% of country's land and sea territories as protected areas during the coming decades. In addition, Saudi Arabia has committed to reducing carbon emissions by 278 million tons annually by 2030. The national goals contribute to achieving regional targets set out by the Kingdom at the MGI Summit. These focus on reducing regional carbon emissions by more than 10% of global contributions and planting 50 billion trees across the region as part of the world's largest afforestation program. Details about the events are available on www.greeninitiatives.gov.sa/events — SPA
