RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has committed to amplifying its efforts to mitigate marine pollution and address ecological concerns that face the region, said the Kingdom’s minister of environment, water and agriculture at a conference in Egypt on Thursday.
Speaking at the 20th session of the Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadhli said that these environmental endeavors formed a significant part of Saudi Arabia’s initiatives, which focused on enhancing biodiversity and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The Kingdom has also been actively combating land degradation and improving the quality of life within the region and beyond.
“Saudi Arabia has taken the initiative to adopt several noteworthy programs. Notable among them is the Middle East Green Initiative, which has successfully developed a comprehensive roadmap aimed at preserving the environment and combating climate change,” said Al-Fadhli at the event taking place in Hurghada, Egypt.
He also spoke about the Kingdom’s willingness to collaborate with international agencies in driving the global environmental agenda forward.
“At the international level, Saudi has also joined the World Oceans Union and the Alliance for the elimination of plastic waste in oceans,” added Al-Fadhli.
He continued: “The Kingdom has established a nonprofit institution dedicated to exploring and studying seas and oceans, as well as a regional center for the sustainable development of fisheries.”
In its bid to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2060, the Kingdom has also pursued the circular carbon economy approach, which has emerged as a massive deterrent to marine pollution.
Furthermore, Saudi Arabia is working towards developing the Coral Research & Development Accelerator Platform launched by the G20 leaders during Saudi Arabia’s presidency in 2020.
CORDAP is currently gathering environmentalists worldwide to scale up the development of new technologies that support the conservation efforts needed to secure a future for tropical coral reefs and cold-water corals.
Last year, the program also launched a grant program of up to $18 million for innovative solutions to help secure a future for corals and reefs in the face of climate change and environmental pressures.
