From Ambition to Action | August 2024

In this month's edition of From Ambition to Action, we're exploring Saudi Arabia's mangrove restoration efforts and celebrating achievements in the production of figs and dates, contributing to national greening targets, greater food security, and a more diversified economy.

Read on to learn more about recent developments underscoring Saudi Arabia's commitment to sustainability and environmental preservation.

?? Aramco pledges $100M for KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology) research

aramco recently announced plans to contribute up to $100M to research and development at KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology) over the next decade.

The funding will back the university’s research projects to advance technologies in areas such as liquid-to-chemical conversion, and carbon capture and storage, developing commercially viable solutions to meet energy transition and sustainability goals.

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?? $970M+ solar plant deal is signed for Saudi Arabia

A $972 million contract for the construction of a solar power plant in Saudi Arabia has been signed by a Sino-Saudi consortium, strengthening the renewable energy partnership between the two nations.

The 2 GW solar PV plant will be developed by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) , ACWA Power , and the Saudi aramco Power Company, alongside 中国能建

Under SGI, Saudi Arabia aims to have 50% of its power generation capacity come from renewable sources by 2030.

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?? Al-Jouf fig farmer makes region Saudi Arabia’s fifth highest-yielding

Bassam Al-Haboub, an agriculture graduate and farmer, has made the Al-Jouf region Saudi Arabia’s fifth highest-yielding for fig production after planting 1.2K fig trees two years ago.

Today, the province contributes 874 tons to the national annual fig yield of 28K tons. Aligned with Vision 2030 ambitions, Saudi Arabia has achieved self-sufficiency for figs, which are cultivated across 11 regions in the Kingdom.

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?? MEWA welcomes 170K+ visitors to Buraidah Dates Carnival

The annual Buraidah Dates Carnival, hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture ( ????? ?????? ??????? ???????? ), has opened in Qassim and seen 170K+ local and international visitors so far.

Open for another month, the festival is displaying the produce of 11M+ palm trees and has already achieved $20M in date sales.

Qassim’s annual date production exceeds 390K tons with plans to grow more, contributing to food self-sufficiency, job creation, and agricultural revenues.

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?? Roadmap outlined to bolster Royal Reserve development

A comprehensive plan has been unveiled to bolster the development of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve Development Authority , returning flora and fauna in the 24.5K km2 protected area to its state a century ago.

Announced by the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve Development Authority, the Integrated Development Management Plan will conserve over 400 native plants and reintroduce 23 animal species, seven of which are considered ‘critically endangered’ or ‘vulnerable’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN ).

The reserve in western Saudi Arabia is rich in biodiversity, with 15 distinct ecosystems including mountain ridges and coral reefs.

?? Find out more by clicking here.

?? Saudi Arabia shores up protection of carbon-sequestering mangrove forests

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture ( ????? ?????? ??????? ???????? ), and National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification ( ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ) are increasing efforts to protect the Kingdom’s mangrove forests, as part of the national target to restore 350M+ mangroves by 2030.

2M mangrove seedlings will be cultivated in the Red Sea Global Mangrove Nursery this year, with 1M already having been transplanted since the nursery’s opening in 2023.

Mangrove trees absorb up to 10x more carbon than other plants, making them highly effective for carbon sequestering.

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