Arab News: RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has reached an environmental milestone, restoring the first million hectares of degraded land and planting more than 159 million trees.

The achievement is a significant leap for the Saudi Green Initiative, launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2021, which aims to plant 10 billion trees, equivalent to rehabilitating 40 million hectares across the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Abdulrahman Al-Fadley, the minister of environment, water and agriculture and chairman of the board of directors of the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification said that the milestone reflects the leadership’s commitment to environmental sustainability under Saudi Vision 2030.

He said the rehabilitated land area began with just 18,000 hectares, accelerating to 250,000 hectares by 2024, and now reaching the pivotal one-million-hectare mark in early 2026.

The minister said this achievement is testament to the integration between government entities, the private sector, and the community.

He noted the SGI’s role in preserving biodiversity and native flora and underscored the vital contribution of royal reserves and innovative water harvesting techniques in sustaining these efforts.

“This success embodies a unified national effort,” Al-Fadley said, praising the SGI for its impact on wildlife conservation and ecosystem resilience.

He further explained that the current progress paves the way for 2.5 million hectares by 2030, supported by strategic projects such as dam water use and rainfall harvesting.

This integrated approach, he said, is essential for the long-term expansion of the Kingdom’s green cover.

Vice Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Mansour Al-Mushaiti described the achievement as a qualitative leap toward the Kingdom’s targets.

He noted that it aligns with the Saudi Green Initiative’s goal of planting 10 billion trees, which is equivalent to rehabilitating 40 million hectares.

Al-Mushaiti praised the synergy between the government, private sector, and the not-for-profit sector, highlighting projects such as the National Cloud Seeding Program, which, he said, has not only boosted rainfall but also contributed to a 50 percent reduction in dust storms in 2025 compared with the previous year.

Yasmine Fouad, executive secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, commended Saudi Arabia’s achievement in restoring one million hectares of degraded land.

She emphasized that this milestone reflects an integrated approach and a clear political will to drive tangible change.

“This achievement proves that land restoration is possible even in the most challenging environments,” Fouad said.

She commended Saudi Arabia’s efforts, which also contribute to strengthening international cooperation on land, including through initiatives such as the Middle East Green Initiative and hosting of the COP16 of the UNCCD.