New initiative shines light on need to promote sustainability, cut carbon emissions

The lights went off in Baha on Friday as the municipality launched its Green Hour initiative to boost public awareness of the need for energy conservation. (SPA)

• For one hour, non-essential lights in 28 buildings and various neighborhoods were switched off, though all essential lighting remained on

BAHA: The lights went off in Baha on Friday as the municipality launched its Green Hour initiative to boost public awareness of the need for energy conservation and environmental protection.

For one hour, non-essential lights in 28 buildings and various neighborhoods were switched off, though all essential lighting remained on, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.

The idea, which is in line with the broader Saudi Green Initiative, reflects the municipality’s commitment to enhancing the urban landscape, supporting the Kingdom’s sustainable future and improving people’s quality of life.

SGI Day is observed every year on March 27 and aims to enhance environmental sustainability by planting trees in parks, gardens and public squares.

Authorities in Baha marked the day by joining local community and volunteer groups in the planting of thousands of trees and shrubs across the municipality — part of a longer term goal to plant more than 100,000 trees.

The SGI aligns with Vision 2030 and represents a new way to manage the country’s natural resources and improve efficiency in urban environments. By raising community awareness and promoting a culture of sustainability, it supports the national goals of reducing emissions and protecting resources through integrated development projects.

The initiative recently reached the milestone of rehabilitating 1 million hectares of degraded land through the National Greening Program, overseen by the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification.

This aims to expand vegetation cover, reduce desertification, improve quality of life and enhance the natural capacity of local environments to adapt to climate change.

Also under the SGI, more than 159 million trees were planted across the Kingdom last year, the National Water Efficiency and Conservation Center increased water saving to 120,000 cubic meters per day — with the aim to raise this to 300,000 cubic meters — and for the third year running, environmental reserves witnessed the birth of Arabian oryx calves.