The Deputy Minister for Environment Dr. Osama Faqeeha took part in the third edition of the Saudi Green Initiative Forum, held coincided with the COP 28 conference. He highlighted the remarkable strides made by the Kingdom toward its ambitious target of planting 10 billion trees.
During the session, Dr. Faqeeha mentioned the hosting of the COP 16 conference in 2024, which comes to support the Kingdom's goals of promoting global collaboration for the restoration and rehabilitation of degraded agricultural land and recognizing the phenomenon of drought.
"Around 5 to 6 million hectares of land worldwide require rehabilitation and 99% of the world's food relies on arable land, and approximately 3 billion people are directly or indirectly dependent on land for their food. Moreover, 90% of forest biodiversity is under threat due to loss."Dr. Osama added.
Faqeeha noted that 33% of gas emissions from the food supply chain and Saudi Arabia aims to achieve a 50% reduction in food loss and waste as part of its environmental efforts. He added rationalization of water and energy consumption, coupled with the preservation of water sources, enhances initiatives to combat drought.
The third edition of the Saudi Green Initiative Forum 2023, under the theme "From Ambition to Action," aims to showcase ongoing initiatives and projects across the Kingdom. The forum will engage in discussions on sustainability topics, emphasizing the pivotal role of financing in facilitating climate action. Additionally, the event will focus on activities such as tree planting, and environmental rehabilitation.