Saudi Arabia Leading the Fight Against Land Degradation
In a bold move to combat land degradation, Saudi Arabia is taking the lead and calling on the international community to join forces in this crucial battle. During an event at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization headquarters in Rome, Mohammed Al-Ghamdi, the country’s permanent representative to the FAO, emphasized the Kingdom’s commitment to reversing the process of land degradation.
Green Initiatives and Ambitious Targets
Saudi Arabia’s Saudi Green and Middle East Green initiatives aim to rehabilitate a staggering 200 million hectares of land. As part of these efforts, Riyadh will host the UN Convention to Combat Desertification’s COP 16 summit from Dec. 2 to 13 this year. Al-Ghamdi urged global participation at the summit, highlighting the urgent need for collaborative action and ambitious restoration targets in the face of increasing land degradation.
Critical Opportunity for Nations
With a third of agricultural land already degraded by human activities, the world is facing a pressing challenge in terms of food security and climate change. Zhimin Wu, director of the FAO’s Forestry Division, stressed the importance of nations committing to comprehensive restoration efforts at the upcoming COP 16 summit in Riyadh. This summit offers a critical opportunity for countries to come together and tackle the alarming levels of land degradation.
Comprehensive Approach to Restoration
Raja Omar, an adviser at the National Center for Vegetation Cover in Saudi Arabia, outlined the Kingdom’s comprehensive approach to restoring diverse landscapes, from rangelands to mangroves. Emphasizing the need for sustainable long-term efforts, Saudi Arabia is setting an example in the fight against land degradation.