Natural solutions are an essential part of the global response plan to address climate change, a session organized by the Kingdom's pavilion at the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP26, Glasgow, concluded. The session discussed the natural solutions that can be adopted in the Middle East to address carbon emissions and climate changes, including protecting natural ecosystems and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by storing and sequestering carbon using several techniques, most notably increasing the green cover and combating desertification, in addition to methods for sequestering carbon into the soil and restoring wetlands, according to the speakers who took part in the session. They added that increasing the green cover through intensive afforestation is one of the most effective natural techniques to offset carbon emissions in the Middle East, which has been adopted by the region, citing the Saudi Green Initiative, which includes besides, other initiatives, planting 10 billion trees in the Kingdom in the coming decades. The session also discussed Saudi Aramco's initiative to protect, plant, and restore millions of mangroves inside and outside the Kingdom and their ability to absorb carbon and enhance biodiversity while prioritizing water conservation, treatment, and recycling.
