DUBAI — Since the inception of the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) in 2021, Saudi Arabia has planted over 43 million trees and shrubs, while also rehabilitating 94,000 hectares of degraded land — equivalent to approximately 146,000 football fields — across the Kingdom. During the third edition of the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) Forum at COP28 Monday, Saudi officials and international climate experts gathered to discuss the country's significant progress in achieving its ambitious goal of growing 10 billion trees. Dr. Khaled Al-Abdulqadir, CEO of the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification, highlighted the advanced technology and modeling capabilities driving the Kingdom's afforestation efforts. He emphasized the crucial role of AI modeling in identifying optimal tree planting locations, especially in challenging terrains like mountains and coastal areas, enabling effective monitoring of sand movement. Dr. Al-Abdulqadir also praised the strong community engagement surrounding afforestation initiatives, noting, "In the last two years, we've reached 150,000 volunteers," including children and families. Addressing the issue of desertification, Inger Andersen, executive director of UNEP, commended Saudi Arabia for placing it on the G7 agenda. She highlighted the widespread impact of desertification on millions of people and billions of hectares of land. Discussing the upcoming UNCCD COP16 in 2024, Andersen expressed satisfaction that Saudi Arabia would be hosting the event, emphasizing the country's proactive approach to addressing issues related to biodiversity, climate change, and desertification.
