Organized by the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification, the forum was attended by ministers, organizations, and specialists from local and international sectors.

Khalid Al-Abdulqader, CEO of the center, emphasized the forum's goal to unify efforts to enhance vegetation cover and mitigate land degradation.

The restoration of green spaces in the Kingdom was discussed, with a commitment to using sustainable irrigation methods, planting local tree species, and protecting and monitoring them with advanced technologies.

In a discussion titled "Nature-Based Solutions: Key to Transformation," experts and industry specialists explored the importance of tree growth and its environmental impact, as well as the role of industries in finding sustainable solutions.

Dr. Ahmed Al-Farhan, a board member and faculty member at King Saud University, emphasized the correlation between vegetation, soil, organisms, and the atmosphere for sustainability.

Unusually, there has been a decrease in sandstorms in Saudi Arabia this year, which were once a natural, seasonal occurrence.

Jamaan Al-Qahtani, the executive director of the Regional Center for Dust and Sandstorms, stated that sandstorms require dry, load-bearing soil and strong winds to form.

He noted that there have been fewer sandstorms in the Kingdom in recent years, with April seeing a 60% drop, March a 30% drop, and January over 60% less than the average of the past 20 years.

Al-Qahtani attributed this to timely rainfall that helps stabilize the soil and an effective environmental system and laws that prevent soil degradation.

Sand and dust storms can impact 11 of the UN's 17 sustainable development goals.

The text discusses the impacts of environmental issues in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Air pollution causes 7 million deaths in total.

The region loses $150 billion annually due to weather and climate disasters.

To address the growing demand for fresh water in Saudi Arabia, a cloud seeding project was launched in 2022 to increase rainfall.

Environmental phenomena have become more severe and common, and the Middle East Green Initiative includes a cloud seeding program aiming for a 10-20% increase in rainfall, as well as initiatives to intensify vegetation cover, combat desertification, localize technology, and transfer knowledge.

In the fifth stage of Saudi Arabia's weather modification program, flights were conducted over Riyadh, Hail, and southern regions including Abha, Taif, and Asir.

A total of 1,640 flight hours were dedicated to precipitation efforts and research.

Preliminary reports suggest that over 4 billion cubic meters of rainfall were generated in the targeted area.

Dr. Talal Al-Harigi, CEO of Imam Abdulaziz Royal Nature Reserve, discussed the importance of nature-based solutions like reforestation for carbon sequestration.

Soil rehabilitation processes were implemented to prepare the soil for rain and improve vegetation cover, soil stability, and fertility within nature reserves such as the Imam Abdulaziz Royal Nature Reserve and King Khalid Royal Reserve.

Saudi Arabia is taking the lead in addressing environmental deterioration and climate change in various industries.

The Saudi Green Initiative aims to plant 10 billion trees and was the focus of a recent forum.

The event brought together public, private, and nonprofit sectors to share knowledge and collaborate on sustainable solutions for future generations.

The forum emphasized the importance of all sectors working together to achieve this goal and mitigate the expected increase and worsening of natural disasters.