Middle East commits to restoring millions of hectares of degraded land

As part of a swathe of environmental commitments, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman yesterday announced ambitious plans to restore 200 million hectares of degraded land and plant 50 billion trees across the Middle East.Opening the Green Middle East Initiative Summit at Cop27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, the Crown Prince said the project was an important step in the goal to reduce global carbon levels by 2.5%.Tackling land degradation and deforestation in the region is seen as the  key battle in the fight against climate change – with delicate ecosystems facing unprecedented pressures from overuse and urban sprawl, the priorities are to first halt and then reverse the damage.In Saudi Arabia itself, the Vision 2030 plan will see 30% of the land dedicated to national parks by the beginning of the new decade.The work is beginning literally at the grassroots level, as denuded and poor quality soil is sewn with plants and grasses to stop the main issue these arid lands face – desertification.The next stage is to introduce shrubs and, ultimately, larger trees like the native acacia species.With the shade and food they need, the new ecosphere will attract small mammals.To complete the renewal of the land, species that once roamed free, such as oryx and ibex, are already being introduced. They, in turn, will provide food for the apex predators, such as the critically endangered Arabian leopard.Conservationists are cautious about offering even an approximate date for their return in any numbers. The land needs to recover first.To find out more about the Saudi Green Initiative, visit greeninitiatives.gov.sa/about-sgi/