Saudi Arabia is marking "Saudi Green Initiative Day" by showcasing its ambitious environmental achievements aimed at achieving sustainability, as confirmed by His Excellency Eng. Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen Alfadley, Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture and Chairman of SGI Environmental Ministerial Committee.
In a statement marking the occasion, which coincides with the anniversary of the initiative's launch on March 27th, Alfadley emphasized the Kingdom's commitment to environmental protection and enhancing the quality of life. These efforts align with the goals of Vision 2030 and the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI), which seeks to rehabilitate 40 million hectares, protect 30% of the Kingdom's land and sea area, and reduce carbon emissions by 287 million tons annually.
The minister mentioned SGI's progress, including the planting of over 137 million trees and the rehabilitation of more than 310,000 hectares of degraded land. Additionally, 4.4 million hectares have been protected to ensure vegetation sustainability. These achievements, he said, come from extensive on-the-ground efforts and widespread projects across regions, prioritizing native species suited to local environments. More than 205 entities—including 110 government agencies, 75 private-sector partners, and 20 non-profits—have contributed to these initiatives.
Minister Alfadley further stated that national efforts under the initiative have led to an increase in protected land areas to 18.1% and marine areas to 6.49% of the Kingdom's total area. He also pointed to SGI's role in improving life quality, with dust storm occurrences dropping by 63% between 2020 and 2024.
He concluded by stressing that these achievements are the result of collaborative efforts across multiple sectors and called for continued community engagement to support SGI for ensuring a greener, more sustainable future for generations to come.