‎Saudi Arabia unveils roadmap to plant 10 bln trees

‎Saudi Arabia unveils roadmap to plant 10 bln trees

Saudi Arabia unveiled today, Oct. 9, its roadmap to plant 10 billion trees, as part of both national and international commitments to combat climate challenges and enhance citizens' quality of life by reaping long-term economic and social benefits through afforestation.

This aligns with the Saudi Green Initiative led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Prime Minister, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

This initiative coincides with the second MENA Climate Week, which is hosted by Saudi Arabia for the first time from October 8th to 12th, 2023, in Riyadh.

The roadmap involves a strategic plan to enhance vegetation cover across diverse habitats, including urban areas, highways, and green spaces, benefiting the well-being of the majority of the kingdom's urban population.

Urban areas will benefit from denser tree planting, reducing temperatures by 2.2 degrees Celsius and enhancing air quality.

Moreover, the roadmap's implementation will generate job opportunities in tree planting, land preparation, water reuse networks, and new park and garden creation, fostering innovative sustainability.

The Saudi Green Initiative, one of the world's largest reforestation efforts, addresses environmental challenges including lower rainfall, shrinking arable land, and deforestation below global averages.

The initial aim of planting 10 billion trees is equivalent to reclaiming 40 million hectares of land.

The study raised the