المملكة: In detail… Saudi Arabia is leading a new phase of the Green Middle East Initiative

The importance of the initiative lies in the repercussions of rising temperatures that lead to a sharp deterioration in livelihoods and job opportunities throughout the Middle East and North Africa region, and accordingly, global temperatures will continue to rise in this manner.

Green Middle East Initiative

It is expected that the pace and severity of the conditions will increase with it. Harsh climate conditions in the region, such as drought and heavy rains, at a time when the economic cost of dust storms alone reaches more than $13 billion annually in the region.

By expanding regional cooperation and creating infrastructure capable of reducing emissions and protecting the environment, the Green Middle East Initiative can achieve great success in global efforts to combat climate change while providing economic opportunities for the region in the long term.

On the premise that effective climate action requires the formation of an alliance that unites and supports all stakeholders around The Green Middle East Initiative seeks to unite the efforts of the region’s leaders to achieve the common goal of combating climate change. Through cooperation, exchange of knowledge and experiences, and investment in the green economy.

A greener future in the Middle East

To build a greener future in the Middle East, trees contribute to improving air quality, reducing soil erosion, and providing habitats for wildlife, in addition to absorbing carbon dioxide to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Also, planting 50 billion trees throughout the Middle East is equivalent to reclaiming 200 million hectares of degraded land, 10 billion trees will be planted within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and 40 billion trees will be planted throughout the region in the coming decades.

Achieving a global impact through regional cooperation The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is working to launch a number of regional centers and programs that will play a pivotal role in providing the knowledge and experience necessary to complete this unprecedented initiative in the field of afforestation.

Attracting investments

This infrastructure will also contribute to attracting investments, enhancing cooperation in key areas, and improving the process of knowledge exchange, which will thus establish a better future for generations. To enhance the scale of efforts, the Kingdom hosted the first summit of the Green Middle East Initiative in Riyadh on October 25, 2021, where the summit constituted the first regional dialogue of its kind on climate, and was attended by leaders from 28 countries who agreed to work together to combat climate change, and to discuss and support the first coalition to combat climate change in the region.

The Green Middle East Summit, in its second edition, was also held in the city of Sharm El-Sheikh in the Arab Republic of Egypt, in the presence of a number of leaders. Middle East and African countries and international officials in the environment and climate change sector on Monday, Rabi’ al-Akhir 13, 1444 AH, corresponding to November 7, 2022 AD, under a joint Saudi-Egyptian presidency.

Achieving the initiative’s goals

As part of the Kingdom’s efforts to achieve the initiative’s goals, His Excellency the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Engineer Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Mohsen Al-Fadhli, in the capital, Riyadh, chaired a ministerial meeting to approve the charter and governance of the Middle East Initiative. Green, which includes regional governance and the initiative’s work methodology, as ministers and officials from 20 countries from the continents of Asia and Africa, and a number of international and regional organizations participated in the meeting.

The meeting is an important step towards activating the Green Middle East Initiative as it aims to frame joint action among the countries of the region; To cooperate, enhance environmental protection and development, achieve the ambitious goals of the Green Middle East Initiative, and contribute to economic development in the region.

The Kingdom also hosted the first session of the Ministerial Council of the Green Middle East Initiative, which was held in Jeddah in the year 2024 AD, with the participation of more than (29) countries and international organizations.

A new phase

Also within the framework of the efforts, the work of the session will begin in Jeddah on the twenty-ninth of this month of January. The second Ministerial Council of the Green Middle East Initiative, with the participation of 31 regional member states of the Initiative, from the continents of Asia and Africa, in addition to the United Kingdom, which participates as an observer.

The meeting of the Ministerial Council of the Initiative comes as an affirmation of the determination of member states to continue implementing the directives and pledges that were adopted at the two summits of the Green Middle East Initiative, in which the leaders affirmed continued work to confront the phenomenon of climate change around the world, through initiatives and projects to reduce it, contribute to the development of vegetation, and protect diversity. The second meeting of the Ministerial Council represents the launch of a new phase for the initiative, following the completion of its founding phase and the establishment of the General Secretariat in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. During this session, the Ministerial Council is expected to take important decisions to begin the executive phase of the initiative and launch its projects.