Green Saudi Arabia: Planting 8 million trees through new real estate agreements
In a strategic move reflecting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's commitment to achieving the goals of Vision 2030 in the field of environmental sustainability, the National Afforestation Program announced the signing of a package of high-quality agreements aimed at significantly increasing vegetation cover within urban areas. This step comes to bolster national efforts to combat desertification and improve quality of life.
8 strategic agreements at Restatex
The Restatex Riyadh exhibition witnessed the signing of eight memoranda of understanding and agreements by the National Afforestation Program with leading real estate associations and companies in the Kingdom. These ambitious partnerships aim to plant over eight million trees across various regions, providing a significant boost to national afforestation initiatives. The program was represented at the signing ceremony by Executive Vice President Engineer Ahmed Al-Anzi, amidst a notable attendance of experts and stakeholders in the real estate and environmental sectors.
Context of the initiative and the goals of "Green Saudi Arabia"
These agreements are an integral part of the Saudi Green Initiative launched by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, which aims to plant 10 billion trees across the Kingdom in the coming decades. The participation of the real estate sector is of paramount importance in this context, as residential and commercial complexes provide fertile ground for increasing green spaces, which directly contributes to lowering temperatures in cities, reducing carbon emissions, and combating dust storms that affect public health.
Water resource sustainability: Reliance on treated water
One of the most important pillars upon which these agreements are based is the commitment to water sustainability standards. The parties involved agreed to maximize the use of greywater and treated wastewater (TSE) in irrigating trees and plants. This approach aims to ensure that groundwater and drinking water are not depleted, while focusing on cultivating native plants suited to each region's environment, plants that are adaptable to climatic conditions and require less water.
Technical support to ensure quality of life
Under these partnerships, the National Afforestation Program will not only sign agreements but will also provide comprehensive logistical and technical support. This includes supplying suitable seedlings and offering specialized field consultations to ensure the proper growth and care of the trees. These efforts are central to the Quality of Life Program, one of the Vision 2030 initiatives, which aims to transform cities and residential areas into human-friendly environments with green spaces that promote the mental and physical well-being of residents.
In conclusion, this alliance between the environmental and real estate sectors represents a model of institutional integration required to rehabilitate degraded lands and protect fragile ecosystems, placing the Kingdom among the world’s leading countries in combating climate change.
