Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, December 4, 2024: The fourth edition of the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) Forum concluded today in the UNCCD COP16 Green Zone in Riyadh. Over two days, the forum convened 50 speakers across 25 sessions, to an audience of 1,500+ delegates from the public and private sectors. Five new initiatives worth $60 million (SAR 225 million) in investment and 14 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were announced alongside impactful discussions to accelerate global climate action.
HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Minister of Energy, inaugurated the forum, highlighting the latest progress on Saudi Arabia’s energy transition and the pivotal role of Saudi women and youth. “We have a lot to show, and we want to make sure that people can continue to see our progress—especially the Saudi Green Initiative. We are self-assured that every year we shall expose the world to new achievements, new targets, and new approaches and we are not shy from gathering people to see it,” he said during a conversation with Dr. Angela Wilkinson, Secretary General of the World Energy Council.
The forum featured energy industry leaders Amin Nasser, CEO of Saudi Aramco, and Patrick Pouyanné, CEO of TotalEnergies, who emphasized balancing security, affordability, and sustainability (the energy trilemma) through a pragmatic approach integrating hydrocarbons and renewables. The Kingdom aims to expand renewable capacity to 130 GW by 2030, with 6.2 GW connected, 20 GW launched this year, and 44.2 GW under development—enough to power more than 7 million homes.
The forum unveiled five new initiatives valued at $60 million (SAR 225 million) to accelerate afforestation efforts. Since 2021, Saudi Arabia has planted over 100 million trees and shrubs and rehabilitated 118,000 hectares of land—an area larger than 165,000 football fields—advancing its goal of growing 10 billion trees and combating desertification.
Fourteen MoUs were signed on stage, covering carbon capture, emissions reduction, clean cooking solutions, and enhanced environmental performance, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s collaborative and comprehensive approach to sustainability.
A tailored session was held on the Red Sea Sustainability Strategy (NRSSS), unveiled in the morning by His Royal Highness Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince, Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Supreme Committee for the Saudi Green Initiative. The strategy provides a national framework to protect the Red Sea’s biodiversity while fostering the blue economy. Dr. Osama Faqeeha, Deputy Minister for Environment, called it “a natural step within a comprehensive national context, demonstrating that sustainable development cannot be achieved without prioritizing the environment.” Dr. Khalid bin Muhammad Jamil Asfahani, CEO of SHAMS, described the Red Sea as a global biodiversity hotspot, noting that its coral reefs—though covering less than 0.2% of the seabed—support 25% of marine species, likening a sea without reefs to “land without trees.”
“Saudi Arabia's investment and commitment to the 85+ initiatives under the Saudi Green Initiative exceed USD $180 billion,” stated HE Adel Al-Jubeir, Climate Envoy. He emphasized the Kingdom’s collaborative approach and legacy of providing funding, sharing expertise, and delivering pragmatic solutions to drive global climate action, noting, “Our commitment to the world in terms of what we're doing to help other countries to deal with challenges is tremendous.”
International sustainability veterans commended Saudi Arabia’s ambitious climate approach and progress under SGI: Francesco La Camera, Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), praised the Kingdom’s leadership, stating, “The theme ‘Action Is In Our Nature’ reflects a commitment the Kingdom has embraced through visionary initiatives and tangible actions.” Macky Sall, 4th President of Senegal, applauded SGI and the Middle East Green Initiative, emphasizing that “major environmental problems ignore borders and require joint solutions.”
