Middle East Green Initiative targets 35.4 billion trees, 99.4 million hectares of land restoration

According to the Saudi Gazette, member states of the Middle East Green Initiative (MGI) have set ambitious environmental targets, aiming to plant 35.4 billion trees and rehabilitate 99.4 million hectares of degraded land. These figures were highlighted during the 20th virtual meeting of the initiative's Executive Committee, which was chaired by Dr. Osama Faqeeha, the Saudi Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture for Environment.

During the session, committee members reviewed progress on national vegetation development goals and assessed how these individual efforts contribute to the broader regional objectives of the MGI. The meeting also served as a platform to evaluate the implementation of decisions established during the second Ministerial Council meeting, which took place in Jeddah on January 29, 2026. Officials discussed the status of various projects and reviewed a comprehensive report on the General Secretariat's recent accomplishments, presented by MGI Secretary-General Eng. Ibrahim Al-Turki.

The Middle East Green Initiative, a flagship sustainability project, seeks to address the region's environmental challenges through large-scale afforestation and land restoration efforts. By coordinating data and policy across member states, the initiative aims to mitigate the impacts of climate change and desertification. The committee's recent discussions are part of an ongoing effort to ensure that national commitments remain aligned with the initiative's long-term regional strategy for ecological preservation.