From Ambition to Action | October 2024

In this month's edition of From Ambition to Action, we look at the expansion of Saudi Arabia’s green projects and the ongoing Kingdom-wide afforestation efforts.

Read on to discover more about this and other initiatives across Saudi Arabia, delivering a greener future for all.

?? The Public Investment Fund boosts green investments to over $19B across 90+ projects

The Public Investment Fund (PIF) has expanded its green investment portfolio to over $19.4B, covering 91 projects in renewable energy and clean transportation.

According to its latest Allocation and Impact Report, $8.5B has been allocated to green bonds issued in 2022 and 2023. The report highlights 18 active projects in areas like energy efficiency, green buildings, clean transportation, water management, and pollution prevention.

?? Learn more about this here.?

?? Saudi Arabia and the Philippines sign first energy cooperation agreement

Saudi Arabia and the Philippines have signed their first energy cooperation agreement, strengthening ties and advancing sustainability goals. The deal includes renewable energy, energy storage, and climate change mitigation technologies, and the endorsement of the Circular Carbon Economy framework.

In 2024, Saudi Arabia plans to tender renewable energy projects totaling about 20 GW, with annual tenders continuing to reach 100-130 GW by 2030. Under SGI, the Kingdom aims to reduce carbon emissions by 278 mtpa by 2030.

?? Find out more here.

?? 95M+ trees planted across Saudi Arabia since 2021

The National Center for Vegetation Cover and Combating Desertification (?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ?????? NCVC) announced that over 95M trees have been planted since the launch of SGI.

With the support of 121 partners, 111K hectares of degraded land have been restored, and 4.3M hectares are under protection. As part of SGI, Saudi Arabia aims to further expand vegetation cover and combat desertification by growing 10B trees across the Kingdom.

?? Learn more here.

?? NCVC hosts workshop in Al Baha for forest management

The National Center for Vegetation Cover and Combating Desertification (NCVC) held a workshop in the Baha region to plan a social and economic survey of communities near the Al-Khala and Al-Ghouqa forests.

The goal is to develop a sustainable action plan and explore ecotourism opportunities as part of a broader effort to assess national forests.

The workshop was held in partnership with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization ( 联合国粮农组织 ) and local communities.?

?? Click here to learn more.

?? First Saudi protected area listed on IUCN Green List

The International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN ) has added Saudi Arabia's Ibex Protected Area, managed by the National Center for Wildlife ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ??????? , to the IUCN Green List.

This makes it the first protected area in Saudi Arabia to meet all criteria, joining an elite group of just 77 sites worldwide, out of over 300K protected areas.

As part of SGI, Saudi Arabia aims to protect 30% of land and marine areas by 2030, ensuring the preservation of its rich wildlife and diverse natural ecosystems.?

?? Find out more by clicking here.

?? UN Biodiversity Conference: Saudi Arabia leads in publishing national goals

At the UN Biodiversity Conference 2024 preparatory meetings in Colombia, Saudi Arabia was recognized as one of the first countries to publish its 22 national biodiversity targets in line with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

This progress follows a national workshop organized by the National Center for Wildlife (NCW), which is finalizing the comprehensive national biodiversity framework, expected by 2025.

?? For more information, click here.