Launch of the digital afforestation platform to unify Saudi Arabia's green efforts
In a strategic move aimed at promoting sustainable environmental work, the National Afforestation Program announced the imminent launch of the digital "Afforestation Platform," which will serve as the unified technical reference for managing and documenting all afforestation operations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This crucial step supports the objectives of the "Saudi Green Initiative" and provides accurate data and comprehensive guidelines to ensure the synergy of national efforts across the government, private, and non-profit sectors, in line with the aspirations of the Kingdom's Vision 2030.
An ambitious national context and historic initiatives
This announcement cannot be separated from the broader context of the environmental transformation the Kingdom has been undergoing since the Crown Prince launched the "Green Saudi Arabia" and "Green Middle East" initiatives. Through these initiatives, the Kingdom aims to plant 10 billion trees across its territory in the coming decades, equivalent to rehabilitating 40 million hectares of degraded land. The "Afforestation Platform" serves as a crucial implementation tool to translate these promises into tangible reality, aiming to organize haphazard efforts and transform them into a structured, institutional endeavor grounded in scientific data.
Tangible achievements and advanced work mechanisms
During a specialized workshop organized by the program with broad participation from relevant stakeholders, it was emphasized that the platform will serve as the primary gateway for enabling individuals and institutions to contribute to the development of vegetation cover. Engineer Ahmed bin Saleh Al-Ayadah, CEO of the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development, explained that collaborative national efforts have thus far resulted in the planting of more than 151 million trees across the Kingdom, in addition to the rehabilitation of over 500,000 hectares of degraded land, reflecting the accelerated pace of joint environmental action to combat desertification.
Precise scientific standards for native plants
To ensure the sustainability of these efforts, technical data revealed the identification of approximately 2,300 native plant species, from which 300 were carefully selected as the most suitable for the Kingdom's diverse environments. The platform relies on detailed maps of ecological regions to precisely distribute plants, eliminating individual efforts and ensuring that the right plant is cultivated in the right place, while also considering water conservation and climatic suitability.
Expected environmental and economic impact
The importance of this platform extends beyond the local level; it represents a cornerstone in the Kingdom's efforts to combat climate change globally. Increasing vegetation cover will directly contribute to reducing carbon emissions, lowering temperatures in urban areas, and mitigating dust storms that impact public health and the economy. The platform will also address previous operational gaps, such as the lack of accurate indicators and delays in field reports, becoming a central repository of national afforestation data. This will facilitate strategic planning and strengthen sustainable development pathways.
