Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Thursday, Sep 18, 2025

Saudi Arabia and UNEP: Combating Desertification and Restoring Ecosystems for Sustainable Development

Saudi Arabia and UNEP: Combating Desertification and Restoring Ecosystems for Sustainable Development

Saudi Arabia and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) have launched campaigns to combat desertification, restore ecosystems, and enhance drought resilience in preparation for World Environment Day on June 5 in Riyadh.
The announcement was made during Saudi Arabia's Environment Week, which was inaugurated by Saudi Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli to raise awareness about environmental protection.

Osama Faqeeha, Deputy Minister for Environment, emphasized the importance of shared responsibility in addressing land degradation and desertification.

Elizabeth Mrema, UNEP's Deputy executive director, was also present at the event.

The text emphasizes the need for collective action from policymakers, the private sector, and civil society organizations to address agricultural issues such as desertification, drought, and land degradation.

This call to action comes on World Environment Day, with a focus on global investments in nature conservation and sustainability.

Elizabeth Maruma Mrema of UNEP emphasizes the importance of uniting national and international efforts to safeguard and rehabilitate ecosystems to meet sustainable development goals.

The deputy executive director of UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme), Elizabeth Mrema, warned that without action, 95% of Earth's land could be degraded within the next 30 years, which could be disastrous for humanity and the planet.

She launched a global campaign to tackle the climate and extinction crisis by restoring land, calling on people and governments to help protect 30% of land and sea for nature and restore 30% of degraded ecosystems.

Countries have already committed to restoring 1 billion hectares of land.

Previous campaigns have successfully catalyzed climate action, and this year's focus is on land restoration.

World Environment Day 2024 will promote climate action and ecosystem restoration in support of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Saudi Arabia's Environment Week opening event highlighted the importance of collaboration between government, private sector, and individuals to protect and conserve natural resources.

Al-Fadhli emphasized the significance of adopting eco-friendly behaviors and applying them across different sectors to achieve sustainable development objectives.

The annual event reflects Saudi Arabia's commitment to environmental protection and sustainable development as part of Saudi Vision 2030.

Saudi Arabia is committed to protecting the environment at various levels, as shown by its involvement in numerous international environmental agreements and organizations.

The country has also initiated environmental projects like the Middle East Green Initiative and participates in global environmental efforts under the G20 umbrella.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Saudi Arabia cracks down on music ‘lounges’ after conservative backlash
Saudi Arabia Signs ‘Strategic Mutual Defence’ Pact with Pakistan, Marking First Arab State to Gain Indirect Access to Nuclear Strike Capabilities in the Region
Sam Altman sells the 'Wedding Estate' in Hawaii for 49 million dollars
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
Kuwait opens bidding for construction of three cities to ease housing crunch.
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Did the Houthis disrupt the internet in the Middle East? Submarine cables cut in the Red Sea
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Iran Faces Escalating Water Crisis as Protests Spread
More Than Half a Million Evacuated as Typhoon Kajiki Heads for Vietnam
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
×