The Saudi Green Initiative is the Kingdom’s largest effort to make the environment better. It plans to spend $187 billion, which would decrease carbon emissions by 20 million tonnes a year by 2030. This will make Saudi Arabia a global leader in climate action and sustainable development. This big project is part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 plan. It includes planting 10 billion trees, increasing renewable energy (50% clean electricity), creating a circular carbon economy, and using nature-based climate solutions all over the Kingdom’s 2.15 million square kilometres. The program’s climate targets for Saudi Arabia are in line with global goals, including having no emissions by 2060, cutting emissions by 30% by 2030, and becoming a leader in carbon capture, utilisationand storage (CCUS) technology. Saudi Arabia is the clearest example of how huge oil-producing nations can make their economies more sustainable and varied while still retaining energy security and economic development.
The Green Initiative in Saudi Arabia has five basic goals: to fight climate change, conserve biodiversity, cut down on pollution, and encourage sustainable development in both cities and the countryside. The National Tree Planting Program contributes $3.2 billion to planting trees on land that has been damaged, making cities greener, and bringing back native species like ghaf, sidr, and araar trees to coastal regions. 85% of the trees live through tough desert conditions because to advanced irrigation systems and soil rehabilitation methods. The Air Quality Improvement Initiative invests $2.1 billion on networks that keep an eye on pollution, rules to limit industrial emissions, projects to make cars electric, and projects to cut down on dust storms. It wants to lower air pollution levels by 70% in important cities including Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam. Marine and Coastal Protection Programs earn $1.8 billion to rebuild coral reefs, establish up marine protected areas, cut down on plastic waste, and encourage sustainable fishing in the Red Sea and Arp marine protected areas, cut down on plastic waste, and encourage sustainable fishing in the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf’s 2,640-kilometer coastline.
The implementation plan is based on a five-phase approach that runs from 2021 to 2030. Phase 1 (2021–2023) sets up institutional frameworks, starts pilot projects, and builds international alliances. This phase is expected to make 15% of the way towards the goal of reducing carbon emissions by 20 million tonnes. Phase 2 (2024–2025) speeds up the deployment of large-scale projects. Renewable energy projects save 8 million tonnes of CO2, afforestation projects sequester 3 million tonnes of CO2 per year, while improvements in industrial efficiency lower emissions by 2 million tonnes. Phase 3 (2026–2027) incorporates new technology, such as clean transport systems, smart city initiatives, and facilities for capturing and storing carbon. The goal of Phase 4 (2028–2029) is to grow worldwide and sell technologies abroad. Phase 5 (2030) completes the entire goal implementation. Monitoring and verification methods will make sure that progress is recorded in a fashion that fulfils international climate accounting standards.
The Circular Carbon Economy National Program is investing $15 billion on initiatives that will assist Saudi Arabia meet its climate targets. These efforts involve making energy use more efficient (cutting carbon emissions), reusing materials (industrial symbiosis), recycling (CCUS technology), and taking carbon out of the air (direct air capture). The NEOM Green Hydrogen Project is an excellent example of how to be a leader in technology. It costs $5 billion to generate 650 tonnes of hydrogen that doesn’t have any carbon in it every day. This hydrogen may be used at home or sent to other countries. The King Salman Energy Park, on the other hand, has companies that generate renewable energy and businesses that sell it, as well as research and development facilities for renewable energy. AI is used in smart city initiatives in Riyadh, Jeddah, and future developments like The Line to regulate energy consumption, cut down on waste, preserve water, and build long-lasting transit networks. Compared to typical city planning approaches, these programs decreased carbon footprints in cities by 40%.
Because of the program’s success indicators and its influence throughout the world, Saudi Arabia is a model for poor nations when it comes to climate leadership. More than 15 other nations have signed bilateral cooperation agreements with the country. These agreements let the two governments exchange best practices, transfer technology, and collaborate on projects together. These deals are worth more than lion in promises made by other countries. One of the economic benefits is that 700,000 direct and indirect employment will be created in the renewable energy, environmental services, sustainable agriculture, and green technology sectors. Saudi Arabia wants to develop a $25 billion per year market for climate solutions made in the nation by 2035. The Saudi Green Development Program Company helps businesses put $12 billion into projects that are good for the environment. They work with the UN Environment Programme, the World Bank Group, and the Green Climate Fund to make sure that businesses can get low-interest loans and that the best practices are used all over the world. One of the biggest efforts in the world to change the environment is the Saudi Green Initiative. It gives foreign investors, technology suppliers, and development partners that wish to take part more chances than ever before. The government is dedicated to the initiative. It has a lot of money to spend, regulatory backing, and access to key markets. This makes the Kingdom the Middle East’s main centre for climate solutions, sustainable development, and green technology innovation that serves both regional and global markets via proven execution skills and long-term commitments to protecting the environment.
