RIYADH, Friday, March 27, 2026 (WNP): Saudi Arabia has achieved a major environmental milestone by restoring one million hectares of degraded land and planting more than 159 million trees, marking significant progress under the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI).
Launched in 2021 by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, the initiative aims to plant 10 billion trees and rehabilitate 40 million hectares of land across the Kingdom as part of its broader environmental transformation agenda under Saudi Vision 2030.
Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Alfadley said the milestone reflects the leadership’s strong commitment to sustainability, noting that rehabilitation efforts have accelerated rapidly in recent years.
He said the restored area expanded from just 18,000 hectares in the early phase to 250,000 hectares by 2024, reaching the one-million-hectare mark in early 2026.
“This success embodies a unified national effort,” Alfadley said, highlighting the collaboration between government institutions, the private sector and the community. He added that the initiative has contributed significantly to preserving biodiversity and restoring native vegetation, supported by royal reserves and advanced water harvesting techniques.
The minister noted that the current progress lays the groundwork for restoring 2.5 million hectares by 2030, driven by strategic projects including dam water utilization and rainfall harvesting to ensure sustainable expansion of vegetation cover.
Vice Minister Mansour Almushaiti described the achievement as a “qualitative leap” toward the Kingdom’s ambitious environmental targets, emphasizing alignment with SGI’s long-term goal of planting 10 billion trees.
He credited coordinated efforts across public, private and non-profit sectors, and highlighted specialized initiatives such as the National Cloud Seeding Program, which he said has enhanced rainfall and contributed to a 50 percent reduction in dust storms in 2025 compared to the previous year.
International recognition of the milestone also followed, with United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification Executive Secretary Yasmine Fouad commending Saudi Arabia’s achievement.
“This milestone reflects a clear political will and an integrated approach to environmental challenges,” she said, adding that the progress demonstrates land restoration is achievable even in arid and challenging environments.
She also noted that Saudi Arabia’s efforts contribute to strengthening global cooperation on land restoration, including through initiatives such as the Middle East Green Initiative and by hosting key international environmental forums, including sessions linked to the UNCCD.
Officials said the milestone underscores Saudi Arabia’s growing role in global environmental action, positioning the Kingdom as a leading contributor to sustainability, climate resilience and ecosystem restoration efforts.
