RIYADH: Saudi Arabia will host World Environment Day in 2024, the UN Environment Programme said.
The announcement came during a meeting on Sept. 12 in Nairobi between UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen and Saudi Ambassador to Kenya Khalid bin Abdullah Al-Salman.
World Environment Day is celebrated annually on June 5, and over the past five decades, the day has developed into one of the largest global platforms for environmental awareness.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture said the recent UN announcement is testimony to the Kingdom’s role in protecting the planet and raising environmental awareness.
World Environment Day 2024 will focus on land restoration, desertification and drought resilience.
Andersen said: “We welcome Saudi Arabia as host of World Environment Day 2024 and as a strong partner in global efforts to restore land and achieve drought resilience.”
According to the ministry, Saudi Arabia will highlight the need for urgent global investment in policies and actions that protect and restore nature for a sustainable future.
Under Saudi Arabia’s G20 presidency, the Coral Research and Development Accelerator Platform and the Global Initiative on Reducing Land Degradation and Enhancing Conservation of Terrestrial Habitats were launched, and the need to unite national and international endeavors in pursuit of environmental sustainability was emphasized.
Saudi Arabia has made continuous efforts to preserve the environment on both a local and global scale. It adopted the National Environment Strategy and the new Environmental Law and is driving Saudi and Middle East Green initiatives.
The Kingdom also launched National Environment Week and established an environmental fund to secure financial stability, among other initiatives aimed at promoting sustainability and preserving the environment.
World Environment Day is the UN’s principal vehicle for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the environment. Held annually since 1973, the day has also become a vital platform for promoting progress in the environmental dimensions of the Sustainable Development Goals.
With the UNEP at the helm, over 150 countries participate each year in World Environment Day activities.
