Minister of Energy inaugurates Fourth Edition of Saudi Green Initiative Forum in Riyadh

Riyadh (UNA/SPA)—Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Minister of Energy, today inaugurated the fourth edition of the Saudi Green Initiative Forum under the slogan “We Act Naturally. ” This event coincided with the sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP16), hosted in Riyadh under the theme “Our Land, Our Future.”
The forum will feature the participation of experts, policymakers, business leaders, and specialists from around the world to discuss key topics, including land rehabilitation, leveraging the latest innovations to reduce carbon emissions, financing the green transition to support sustainable livelihoods, the role of natural solutions in helping communities adapt to climate change and strengthening efforts to preserve Saudi Arabia’s rich biodiversity.
Over two days, the fourth edition of the forum will review the progress made toward achieving climate and environmental goals under the Saudi Green Initiative, action plans to combat desertification and accelerate land rehabilitation efforts, with a focus on the most important trends in the field of sustainability and the latest environmental innovations that contribute to building a more sustainable future.
During COP16, the Saudi Green Initiative Exhibition will be held, offering visitors the opportunity to embark on an exceptional journey that highlights the Kingdom’s vision for building a sustainable future, along with a range of interactive experiences showcasing more than 80 initiatives being worked on as part of climate and environmental action efforts, with the participation of all segments of society via a range of screens, 3D maps, and interactive performance panels, ensuring enhanced levels of visitor interest and engagement.
In addition, the Saudi Green Initiative Dialogue Series is scheduled to be held daily from December 5-13 at 3:00 p.m. at the Saudi Green Initiative Exhibition. A group of experts and climate action leaders from the Kingdom and the world will participate to provide valuable insights and ideas on the most prominent trends and innovations in the field of sustainability.
The Saudi Green Initiative focuses on achieving three ambitious goals that contribute to addressing environmental challenges and promoting sustainability.
The first goal is to reduce emissions by 278 million tons annually by 2030, through increasing the capacity of renewable energy sources, developing carbon capture and storage technologies, and supporting innovations in the circular carbon economy.
The second goal is to afforest the Kingdom by planting 10 billion trees, equivalent to rehabilitating 74.8 million hectares of degraded land. So far, more than 95 million trees have been planted, and 111 thousand hectares of land have been rehabilitated.
Under the third goal, the initiative aims to protect 30% of terrestrial and marine areas by 2030, with a focus on reintroducing endangered species.