First National Greening Forum held in Riyadh

RIYADH: As countries around the world push for investments in nature-based solutions to environmental problems, experts from Saudi Arabia gathered in Riyadh to discuss the most pressing issues at the inaugural National Greening Forum.

The forum, launched under the patronage of Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli, was organized by the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification and attended by Minister of Municipal Affairs, Rural Affairs and Housing Majed Al-Hogail , and several other ministers, organizations and specialists from local, regional and international sectors related to the environment.

Center CEO Khalid Al-Abdulqader said in his opening speech that the forum will “unify and consolidate national efforts to improve vegetation cover and reduce land degradation.”

On the restoration of green spaces in the Kingdom, he said: “We are committed to restoring natural green spaces using sustainable irrigation methods, planting local tree species and ensuring their protection and monitoring through advanced technologies.”

In a panel discussion titled ‘Nature-Based Solutions: Key to Transformation’, specialists and industry experts discussed various issues related to promoting the natural growth of trees and their impact on the environment, as well as the industries related with environmental issues and the way their institutions operate. to find sustainable solutions for the future.

“Vegetation and afforestation are part of nature, which also includes the atmosphere, soil and organisms. The correlation between all of these is the key element for these solutions. Organizing and monitoring this relationship is therefore crucial for sustainability and greening,” said Dr. Ahmed Al-Farhan, board member of the center and faculty member at King Saud University.

For centuries, large plumes of dust and sand spreading across most of Saudi Arabia were a natural, seasonal occurrence, but this year there has been an unusual and noticeable decrease in the number of sandstorms.

Jamaan Al-Qahtani, executive director of the Regional Center for Dust and Sandstorms, explained: “Sandstorms require two factors to occur: dry, load-bearing soil and wind that is fast enough to carry it.” A few years ago, he said, there were indications that the kingdom was experiencing fewer sandstorms.

“In April there was a decline of 60 percent compared to the average of the past twenty years. March was 30 percent and January was more than 60 percent. Last year, Riyadh had a record of just one sandstorm.”

Explaining the reason behind this, he said: “We attribute that primarily to the rainfall and the timing of that rainfall. If rain falls during the best time for vegetation, it helps stabilize the soil.”

The environmental system also plays a crucial role in preventing degradation, as do laws that prevent individuals and other entities from tampering with the environment.

Sand and dust storms impact eleven of the UN’s seventeen sustainable development goals. For example, a total of 7 million people die from all sources of air pollution and deteriorated air quality. The Middle East and North Africa lose $150 billion annually due to weather and climate disasters, Al-Qahtani said.

To meet Saudi Arabia’s growing demand for fresh water, authorities launched a project in 2022 that changes the structure of clouds to increase rainfall; a technique known as cloud seeding.

Ayman Al-Bar, executive director of the Regional Cloud Seeding Program, said that “environmental phenomena have become much more serious and common than before.” He went on to say that one of the initiatives under the Middle East Green Initiative, the cloud seeding program, aims to increase rainfall by between 10% and 20%.

The various initiatives under the program work to intensify vegetation cover, combat desertification, localize technology and transfer knowledge, he said. In the fifth phase, which includes Riyadh, Hail and southern parts such as Abha, Taif and Asir, 1,530 flight hours were spent on precipitation efforts and 110 hours on research. “Preliminary reports indicate that the targeted area receives more than 4 billion cubic meters of rainfall,” Al-Bar said.

Dr. Talal Al-Harigi, CEO of Imam Abdulaziz Royal Nature Reserve, said: “When it comes to carbon sequestration, where carbon is captured through natural solutions, trees grow naturally by absorbing carbon dioxide. When some soil patches deteriorate, we have undergone processes to restore the soil and prepare it for rain, either from rainfall or other sources.”

Nature reserves are a good example of nature-based solutions, Al-Harigi said. Within the Imam Abdulaziz Royal Nature Reserve, the King Khalid Royal Reserve and others, authorities found that vegetation cover had refreshed and there was greater soil stability, as well as improved soil fertility.

Ultimately, most industries are affected by environmental degradation and climate change, and while natural disasters are expected to increase and worsen, Saudi Arabia has taken a leading role in creating sustainable solutions for generations to come.

The forum highlighted the role of the public, private and non-profit sectors in achieving the Saudi Green Initiative’s goal of planting 10 billion trees and providing a platform for participating organizations to participate and exchange knowledge.