February 16, 2025

JEDDAH: Flying into the Saudi capital Riyadh, visitors can’t help but notice the patchwork of green spaces popping up all over the city. Less than a decade ago, the view from above would have been more akin to the fictional Star Wars planet of Tatooine.

Although its territory is mostly covered by desert, Saudi Arabia has worked hard in recent years to protect and restore its biodiversity, and has opted for a more sustainable future by making the entire part of the landscape of these harbors is green.

Last year, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched the twin Saudi Green Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative, which featured the largest deforestation project in the world, to remove carbon from the air, improve soil quality , and improve the quality of life.

The second edition of the Saudi Green Initiative Forum took place in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh from Nov. 11 to 12 to coincide with the UN climate summit, COP27.

“As a leading global oil producer, we are fully aware of our responsibility to advance the fight against the climate crisis, and that we have a leading role in strengthening energy markets in era of oil and gas, we will work to lead the coming green era,” said the crown prince during the launch of the initiatives.

A warming climate is already wreaking havoc on the Kingdom and the wider Middle East, with less rainfall to water crops and fill groundwater aquifers, creeping desertification and land degradation, and dust storms growing in size and frequency.

Both initiatives are designed to help the Kingdom and the wider region adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change and to adopt technologies and practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental pollutants. .

Circular farms like this spread across parts of the Kingdom. (AFP file photo)

By the end of 2021, nearly 60 community-based projects and private sector collaborations have been launched under initiatives to help improve public health, improve quality of life, and promote sustainable lifestyles. . At the center of it all is the city of Riyadh.

The growing metropolis is set to double its population in the coming decades thanks to an $800-billion project aimed at transforming it into an economic, social and cultural hub for the region. Such change of course comes with environmental challenges.

In 2019, the Green Riyadh Project, the largest integrated urban reforestation project in the world, announced the intention to plant 7.5 million trees throughout the capital, to increase green space from 1.7 to 28 square meters per capita. , and to increase the total green space by 9 percent. .

The project aims to reduce the ambient temperature by an average of 8-15 degrees Celsius in afforested locations throughout the city, to improve air quality by 3-6 percent, and to improve the overall aesthetic of the urban center.

Due to the location and high density of Riyadh, it will take time, hard work, and investment to become a sustainable city that fulfills the goals outlined in the Kingdom Vision 2030 Quality of Life Program, Abdullah Aldakheelallah, an architect and urban researcher, told Arab News.

Community engagement is a key goal of Saudi green efforts. (AN archive)

“Urban areas should not only include green spaces. They should also provide basic facilities, recreational areas through eco-friendly practices, tree planting on roads and in neighborhoods, the construction of sidewalks and pedestrian paths,” said Aldakheelallah.

“The projects of the Kingdom must adapt and adapt themselves to the strategic keys of the Quality of Life Program in their unique way to increase the development of urban cities in general.

“Green pockets of land help nourish a city, they can improve outdoor recreational activities, improve the health of citizens and help reduce the phenomenon of the urban heat island (UHI), where the surfaces absorb heat and retain heat for a longer time.”

SGI goals:

Net-zero emissions by 2060.

*Increase the use of renewables to 50% by 2030. Contribute to cutting global methane emissions by 30% by 2030.

Plant 10 billion trees and rehabilitate 40 million hectares of land.

Increase protected areas to more than 30% of the total land.

Another benefit of the urban afforestation project is that it can prevent the effects of “unmanageable surfaces,” such as vacant lots, roundabouts, and other empty spaces that it tends to stay hot longer, Aldakheelallah said.

“About 20 percent of Riyadh is made up of unmanaged surfaces. By shading those areas, their goal is to reduce the exposure of solar radiation to unmanaged surfaces, and reduce the temperature of the city during sunlight. Studies predict that by doing this, you can reduce the temperature by 4-5 degrees during the day,” he added.

Beyond increasing tree cover, Aldakheelallah says the design and retrofitting of buildings can also have a significant impact on local temperatures.

“Roofs play an important role in the energy balance of buildings and the surrounding environment,” he said. “The overall ratio of the height-to-floor area and the width of the roof is the key to determining the factors for reducing direct radiation exposure.

“Unfortunately, modern methods of building houses provide a way to reduce the size and width of roofs, which has negative effects.”

To create and sustain its new green spaces, Riyadh must guarantee an abundant and sustainable source of fresh water – a limited resource in a country that lacks its own rivers and receives precious little rain.

Deep groundwater aquifers and desalination plants are the Kingdom’s main water resources. In major Saudi cities, the consumption of desalinated water is very high, especially in Riyadh, where its share stands at 63-64 percent in 2020.

Local planting initiatives have been launched across the Kingdom, including in the Eastern Province. (AN archive)

Most of the capital’s drinking water comes from desalination plants in Makkah, Jeddah and Taif — a practice that, until more plants are powered by renewable energy sources, continues to contribute to carbon emissions. in the Kingdom.

Mark Tester, associate director of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Center for Desert Agriculture, says Riyadh needs to better integrate its wastewater management if it wants to keep watering its green spaces.

“Wastewater is a huge resource, especially in a country with little water,” Tester told Arab News. “You have to, for example, separate the greywater from the blackwater and then use the greywater directly.

“This will save a huge amount of money and significantly reduce CO2 emissions from pumping and treating wastewater. You can use greywater locally and with minimal treatment and it gives you a chance to green the environment. “

Blackwater, also called sewage or brown water, is dirty water from bathrooms, which can carry disease and bacteria, both of which are harmful.

Greywater, in contrast, is waste water that comes from sinks, washing machines, bathtubs and showers. It contains a lower level of contamination, which makes it easier to treat and process.

Recycled greywater is often used for irrigation and created wetlands. In fact, greywater containing food particles can even feed plants. Using treated greywater in Riyadh could lead to better planning, regulations, and building codes, irrigate tens of millions of trees, and improve health and well-being.

Indeed, at the very center of the greening strategy is the happiness and well-being of Saudi residents and foreign visitors, allowing them to experience the psychological benefits of the outdoors in a safe and manageable climate.

“Green spaces should be prioritized where they are safe and easily accessible and enjoyed by all, regardless of age, gender, or physical ability, for example, in a neighborhood park as opposed to a median of road or bypass traffic,” Huda Shaka, a sustainable cities advisor, told Arab News.

“Such spaces can improve the physical and mental health of the urban population as well as provide opportunities for improving biodiversity, air quality, and access to food.”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *