Saudi Green Initiative Restores 1 Million Hectares of Land

Saudi Arabia has restored 1 million hectares of degraded land as part of the Saudi Green Initiative, according to Environment, Water and Agriculture Minister Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli.

The restoration efforts have been carried out in coordination with government entities, private sector partners and nonprofit organisations, contributing to large-scale afforestation and land rehabilitation across the Kingdom.

The programme has also supported the planting of more than 159 million trees to date, forming part of a broader target to rehabilitate 40 million hectares and plant 10 billion trees.

Implementation is led by the National Greening Program, which operates across 11 zones through 155 initiatives. The programme works alongside the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification, using technologies such as remote sensing, satellite imagery, drones and geographic information systems to monitor environmental conditions and land productivity.

Reported outcomes include improvements in vegetation cover and biodiversity, alongside cumulative carbon sequestration exceeding 2.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.

Authorities also recorded improved air quality and a reduction in dust storms of nearly 50% in 2025 compared to historical averages.