Dr. Omar Al-Attas

March 28, 2024 13:42

The launch of Saudi Green Initiative Day marks a pivotal moment in Saudi Arabia’s journey toward environmental sustainability and represents a significant step forward in the Kingdom’s commitment to combating climate change. This special day underscores the importance of concerted efforts in environmental conservation and aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 to create a sustainable future for the nation’s citizens and the world.

The day reflects Saudi Arabia’s vision and dedication to fostering a culture of sustainability across the nation. It is a vital platform to highlight and celebrate the Kingdom’s significant strides in environmental protection and green innovation.

Since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched the Saudi Green Initiative on March 27, 2021, Saudi Arabia has embarked on an ambitious journey to mitigate the impacts of climate change. There have already been remarkable achievements, including incredible progress in afforestation and urban greening efforts.

Over 94,000 hectares of degraded land have been rehabilitated, and 43 million trees planted, paving the way toward the ultimate goal of 10 billion trees.

Riyadh is at the forefront of these initiatives with the Green Riyadh project, which aims to plant 7.5 million trees by 2030, thereby increasing the city’s green space to 9 percent of its total area. This initiative includes the development of King Salman Park, envisioned to be the world’s largest urban park.

Saudi Arabia is making substantial advancements in its renewable energy sector, with an ambitious plan to enhance its capacity and transition toward a more sustainable energy mix. The country’s National Renewable Energy Program is guiding the development of various projects to boost its renewable electricity generation. By 2024, the Kingdom aims to generate 15.1 terawatt-hours of renewable electricity, significantly increasing its renewable output from less than 730 gigawatt-hours in 2020, which constituted only 0.2 percent of the country’s electricity production at the time​​.

The launch of Saudi Green Initiative Day marks a pivotal moment in Saudi Arabia’s journey toward environmental sustainability and represents a significant step forward in the Kingdom’s commitment to combating climate change.

Dr. Omar Al-Attas

To achieve these targets, Saudi Arabia is focusing on large-scale solar projects and wind energy, with 13 projects totaling a capacity of 4,870 megawatts, including 4,470 MW from solar and 400 MW from wind energy​​. This move is part of the broader Saudi Green Initiative, which aims to balance the country’s energy mix by increasing the share of renewable energy to 50 percent by 2030 while reducing its dependence on oil and gas​​.

Supporting this goal is the company I work for, Red Sea Global, which is spearheading the development of the world’s largest off-grid tourism destination. In collaboration with ACWA Power, we have installed 760,000 solar panels across five solar farms at The Red Sea to power its entire first phase, including 16 resorts, a staff town, and an international airport, all running only on solar energy. This approach slashes an estimated 600,000 tonnes of carbon emissions each year.

We are following suit a bit further north at AMAALA, where we signed a 25-year concession agreement with EDF and Masdar to establish a multi-utilities infrastructure facility powered solely by solar energy. This facility aims to produce up to 410,000 megawatt-hours annually, capable of supplying power to 10,000 households for a year while cutting nearly half a million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

Besides our renewable energy ambitions, we are only developing 1 percent of The Red Sea destination area, 25 percent of the islands, and are establishing the largest marine-protected area in the region. This supports the SGI’s commitment to protect 30 percent of its terrestrial and marine area by 2030. We have set a target to achieve a 30 percent net conservation benefit by 2040. This involves growing millions of plants, trees, mangroves, seagrasses, and corals. This ambition is amplified across the Kingdom by the SGI and its initiatives with 66,000 square kilometers of land and sea already protected.

As we observe the inaugural SGI Day and recognize the huge progress of entities across the country toward environmental conservation, it becomes clear that the path to a sustainable future is a collective journey. Policymakers, business leaders, and everyone in our society all have roles. This involves simple yet impactful actions such as reducing waste, conserving water and energy, and supporting local and sustainable products.

In our tourism business, trends suggest that travelers are increasingly seeking holiday destinations or hotels that have recognized green credentials. The choices consumers make can significantly influence the market, encouraging more businesses to adopt sustainable practices. By supporting companies, destinations, or hotels that prioritize environmental sustainability, the public can directly promote a greener tourism industry.

Through collective action and sustained commitment, we can ensure the preservation of our planet for future generations to enjoy.

• Dr. Omar Al-Attas is the group head of Environmental Protection and Regeneration for Red Sea Global where he provides technical and managerial expertise, and oversees the operations and execution of key core services and support functions.