Jordan Daily – The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) praised Saudi Arabia’s plan to plant 10 billion trees by 2030, calling it a major step in the fight against desertification and climate change.
“Saudi Arabia has demonstrated global leadership in land restoration through its commitment to plant ten billion trees,” said Dr. Nizar Haddad, FAO Program Director in the Kingdom, marking World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought.
The plan is part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and includes support for planting an additional 40 billion trees across the Middle East under the Saudi-led Middle East Green Initiative (MGI). By 2023, over 41 million trees had already been planted regionally, FAO- Saudi Arabia said in a statement.
In addition to tree planting, Saudi Arabia is expanding protected areas to 30% of its land, rehabilitating 40 million hectares of degraded land, and using traditional techniques like palm frond fences to stabilize sand dunes.
In December 2024, Riyadh hosted the UNCCD COP16, where it launched the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership, mobilizing SAR 12 billion ($3.2 billion) to support drought-affected nations.
“These efforts reflect the Kingdom’s belief that restoring land is essential for food security, regional stability, and building a more resilient future,” Haddad said.
The initiative aligns with the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030) and involves local agencies such as the National Center for Vegetation Cover (NCVC) and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA).
