In an effort to strive for a sustainable future, the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) was launched in 2021 by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. The Initiative aims to rapidly scale up Saudi Arabia’s climate action, in order to reach net zero emissions by 2060.
2024 SGI Achievements
- 44.2 GW renewable energy in development, could power 7m homes.
- Four highly efficient gas-fired power stations at 5.6 GW – 9 GW under construction.
- 539k barrels of oil equivalent saved daily, up from 9.5 per cent in 2022.
- 100+ trees planted and millions of seeds dispersed.
- Area larger than 165k FIFA-sized football fields rehabilitated.
- 5 new afforestation initiatives announced with $60m investment.
- 18.1 per cent of land and 6.49 per cent of marine environments under protection.
- 7k endangered species rewarded in the Kingdom’s nature reserves since 2021.
- 110 endangered red-necked ostrich chicks hatched and 4 cheetah cubs born in 2024.
The Initiative supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which aims to empower citizens, diversify the economy, create a vibrant environment for local and international investors, and establish Saudi Arabia as a global leader – “Saudi Arabia is forging a future where tradition, innovation and sustainability go hand-in-hand, providing endless opportunities for citizens to realise their potential and ushering in a new era of development and prosperity for the Kingdom.”
Saudi Vision 2030 includes various programmes such as the Financial Sector Development Programme, Health Sector Transformation Programme, and the Fiscal Sustainability Programme, which all aim to improve the lives of citizens and create a sustainable future.
The Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) – “unites environmental protection, energy transition and sustainability programs with the overarching aims of offsetting and reducing emissions, increasing afforestation and land restoration, and protecting the Kingdom’s land and sea”.
SGI Goals
- Oversee and unite all of Saudi Arabia’s work to combat climate change under one umbrella, with clearly defined goals.
- Combine efforts of the government and private sector, identifying and supporting opportunities for collaboration and innovation.
- Grow the green economy – more than 80 initiatives have already been launched, representing an investment of over SAR 705 billion.
- Accelerate the green transition and be a global leader in the implementation of the Circular Carbon Economy approach.
- Improve quality of life and protect the environment for the benefit of future generations in Saudi Arabia.
The Kingdom has committed to having 50 per cent of its power generated from renewable sources by 2030. Some of the efforts listed by the SGI include; 4.1 GW renewable energy capacity connected to the grid, 790,000 homes could be powered by installed renewables, 8.2 GW renewable energy capacity under construction, 10.7 GW renewable energy capacity under development, and 100-130 GW renewable energy capacity to be tendered by 2030.
Action 1: Implementing the CCE framework – accelerating broad implementation of the Circular Carbon Economy National Programme to reduce, reuse, recycle and remove CO2 emissions.
Action 2: Investing in renewable energy – changing the Kingdom’s current energy mix towards a more sustainable one, consisting of 50 per cent renewable energy.
Action 3: Spearheading a new sustainable energy source – becoming the world’s leading producer and exporter of clean hydrogen.
Action 4: Increasing energy efficiency – enhancing Saudi Arabia’s Energy Efficiency Programme (SEEP).
Action 5: Transforming water management – undertaking an ambitious waste management transformation project in Riyadh.
Growing 10 billion trees across Saudi Arabia – a commitment to rehabilitate over 74 million hectares of land and restore the Kingdom’s natural greenery.
The restoration of the Kingdom’s natural greenery will help to restore ecological functions, improve air quality, reduce sandstorms, and have many other ecological benefits.
The SGI reports that over 1 million trees and shrubs have been planted, and seeds dispersed, since 2021. In addition, 118,000 hectares of degraded land have been rehabilitated.