A new phase of regional environmental action
His Excellency the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Engineer Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli, who chairs the current session of the Ministerial Council of the Green Middle East Initiative, announced a historic achievement: member states have exceeded their commitment to plant 22 billion trees. This announcement followed the initiative's second ministerial meeting, hosted by Jeddah, confirming that the initiative has successfully transitioned from its foundational phase to practical implementation on the ground, marking a significant turning point in the region's collaborative environmental efforts.
General context: Why the Green Middle East Initiative?
This ambitious initiative, launched in 2021 by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, is a strategic response to the pressing environmental and climate challenges facing the Middle East and North Africa region. The region is considered one of the most vulnerable in the world to climate change, suffering from rising temperatures, severe water scarcity, and increasing desertification, sandstorms, and dust storms—challenges that threaten food and water security, public health, and economic stability. The initiative aims to unify regional efforts to address these risks through a clear and ambitious roadmap for restoring ecosystems and promoting sustainability.
Effective governance and growing international expansion
Minister Al-Fadhli explained that the Jeddah meeting resulted in an agreement on a clear governance framework for managing and implementing the initiative's projects, enhancing the effectiveness of institutional work and ensuring the achievement of its objectives. He noted that the growing international confidence in the initiative is reflected in the increase in the number of member states from 18 at its inception to 34 currently, following the accession of Ghana, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, and Syria. This demonstrates the global recognition of the importance of this regional effort. In addition to tree planting, the initiative aims to rehabilitate approximately 90 million hectares of degraded land, contributing to the restoration of biodiversity and enhancing the region's resilience to climate change.
The importance and expected impact of the initiative
The significance of the Green Middle East initiative extends far beyond simply planting trees; it represents the world’s largest reforestation program. Regionally, these efforts will contribute to lowering temperatures, improving air quality by absorbing millions of tons of carbon dioxide, and combating desertification and land degradation. Economically, the initiative is expected to create new jobs in green economy sectors such as sustainable afforestation, water resource management, and renewable energy. Internationally, the initiative represents a major contribution from the region to achieving the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, sending a powerful message that countries in the region, including major energy producers, are committed to transitioning to a more sustainable future.
The Kingdom's pioneering role and national efforts
This regional initiative builds upon Saudi Arabia’s national efforts, embodied in the “Saudi Green Initiative.” The Kingdom has already made significant strides, planting over 151 million trees using renewable water sources and doubling the area of nature reserves to over 18% of the Kingdom’s total land area, with the ambition to reach 30% by 2030. These efforts reflect the Kingdom’s deep commitment to leading the environmental transformation in the region and setting an example in balancing economic growth with environmental protection.
