RIYADH: The Saudi Green Initiative is celebrating World Reef Day by recognizing initiatives taking place to protect and regenerate the Kingdom’s stunning ocean habitats.
The annual World Reef Day on June 1 raises awareness about the importance of coral reefs and the urgent need to protect them.
The SGI was launched in 2021 under the patronage of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to help protect the planet and combat climate change with three targets: Reducing harmful emissions, foresting and protecting land and sea.
Under the SGI, Saudi Arabia has committed to protecting 30 percent of its land and marine area and is working with international groups such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature to safeguard and restore the natural ecosystems and pristine landscapes of the Kingdom.
“The SGI is highlighting Saudi Arabia’s commitment to national environmental conservation with a month of activity to raise awareness around the Kingdom’s conservation efforts,” a statement from the initiative said.
It said that Saudi Arabia is rich in marine life, and that the Red Sea is home to one of the longest continuous living reefs on earth. Its corals are uniquely resilient and can survive rises in water temperature that would bleach or kill others elsewhere in the world, it added.
Scientists are now studying Red Sea corals to see if they can be used as a basis for coral restoration and survival around the world, said the SGI.
The initiative has a series of programs that will protect and regenerate the Kingdom’s reefs. They include:
The National Center for Wildlife is developing a national strategy by 2025 for the sustainable use of coastal and marine areas to conserve marine biodiversity and reduce damage to reef habitats.
The KAUST Reefscape Restoration Initiative, in partnership with NEOM, is one of the largest reef restoration and conservation programs in the world. The first phase of the initiative is a 100-hectare restoration project at Shushah Island, approximately 20km off the coast. The effort will be a mix of reef conservation, replanting, and restoration; corals will be grown in a nursery before being transferred to the reef.
The Reef Revive Initiative, led by the Baa Foundation, KAUST and Beacon Development, will reduce reef damage using techniques such as transplantation. Reef stewardship is being encouraged by engaging and training local dive operators in coral restoration.
Red Sea Global is establishing a 6,693 km2 ‘no-take’ Marine Protected Area as part of the proposed new Special Economic Zone around the AMALAA and the Red Sea project developments.
World Reef Awareness Day was first observed in 2018 by the Coral Restoration Foundation. Its purpose is to draw attention to the deteriorating state of coral reefs worldwide due to various threats such as climate change, pollution, overfishing, and destructive fishing practices.
The theme this year is “Reef resilience: Protect, restore and sustain” to emphasize the need to take action to ensure the long-term survival and health of coral reefs, which are important breeding and spawning grounds for a wide variety of creatures.
Reefs sequester an estimated 200,000 tons of carbon annually. They protect the world’s coasts by providing a natural barrier against high tides, and minimize the impact of storm surges.
Covering less than 1 percent of the world’s ocean floor, reefs are home to more than one million species, or a quarter of all marine life, including 4,000 species of fish.
The so-called ‘rainforests of the ocean’ are under threat from pollution, rising water temperatures due to climate change and damage caused by fishing and diving activities. Estimates suggest that 90 percent of the world’s coral could disappear by 2050 if action is not taken to save them.
Saudi Green Initiative celebrates World Reef Day
https://arab.news/9ycdg
Saudi Green Initiative celebrates World Reef Day
- SGI initiatives helping protect and regenerate Kingdom’s reefs
- Coral reefs known as ‘rainforests of the sea’ due to rich biodiversity, ecological significance
Saudi House kicks off Davos with push on Vision 2030, AI platform and ‘humanizing’ tourism
- Saudi ministers dominate pre-summit spotlight at Saudi pavilion, touting Vision 2030’s next phase and human capital as key to global edge
- Ministry of Economy and Planning announced the SUSTAIN Platform which aims to accelerate AI-enabled, cross-sector collaboration for sustainable development
DAVOS: For regulars at the World Economic Forum, Monday in Davos is usually a chance to ease into the week, a time to reconnect, plan meetings and prepare for the intense schedule ahead.
This year, Saudi Arabia moved quickly to fill that lull, taking center stage with a packed program of panels ahead of Tuesday’s official opening.
At the Saudi House — the Kingdom’s official pavilion on the Promenade, returning after its debut as a standalone venue at the 2025 WEF Annual Meeting — Saudi ministers and global executives set out how the Kingdom sees the next phase of its transformation.
Established by the Ministry of Economy and Planning, the venue is pitched as a platform for international thought leaders to tackle the challenges, opportunities and solutions shaping the global economy.
Opening a session on the Kingdom’s role at this year’s Forum and the next phase of Vision 2030 — now in its 10th year and roughly two-thirds complete — Princess Reema bint Bandar, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the US, said human capital “is the actual driver if you want a competitive, modern economy.”
She described one of the biggest achievements of the past decade as the emergence of a highly qualified cohort of young Saudis who could work anywhere in the world but “choose to come home, choose to build at home and choose to deliver at home,” calling this “the biggest symbol of the success of Vision 2030.”
Who can give you optimum access to opportunities while addressing risks? I contend that Saudi Arabia has been able to provide that formula.
Khalid Al-Falih, Saudi minister of investment
On the same panel, Minister of Finance Mohammed Aljadaan said this success is rooted in a “behavioral change” that has strengthened the Kingdom’s credibility with both international partners and its own citizens.
“Credibility comes from being very pragmatic, making sure that you maintain your fiscal policy discipline, but at the same time refocus your resources where it matters,” he said, warning that “markets will call your bluff if you’re not serious.”
The Saudi House, a cross-ministerial initiative led by the Ministry of Economy and Planning, is intended to underscore the Kingdom’s “commitment to global cooperation” by offering “a platform where visionary ideas are shared and shaped,” while showcasing opportunities and lessons from its “unprecedented national transformation.”
Echoing earlier comments to Arab News, Economy and Planning Minister Faisal Alibrahim said the Kingdom’s role as an anchor of stability has helped unlock its potential, stressing that while the objective is to decouple from reliance on a single commodity, “2030 is not the finishing line.”
Khalid Al-Falih, Saudi minister of investment, said Saudi Arabia has been able to enable access to opportunities while addressing major risks, arguing that few countries can match the Kingdom’s overall mix.
“No country has all of those to 100 percent,” he said. “But who can give you the mix that gives you optimum access to opportunities while addressing all of those risks?
“I contend that Saudi Arabia has been able to provide that formula and the proof is in the pudding,” noting that local investment has doubled in recent years to reach levels comparable with India and China.
While societal transformation dominated the morning discussions, the afternoon turned to technology, tourism, sport and culture, four strategic sectors expected to spearhead Vision 2030’s next phase.
The Ministry of Economy and Planning used the day to announce the SUSTAIN Platform, due to launch in 2026, which aims to accelerate AI-enabled, cross-sector collaboration for sustainable development.
The ministry said SUSTAIN will translate the Kingdom’s public and private-sector coordination mandate into a practical national tool to help government entities, businesses, investors, academia and civil society identify credible partners, form trusted coalitions and move initiatives “from planning to implementation more efficiently,” addressing a global challenge where fragmented partnerships often slow delivery and blunt impact.
“We are in a moment in time where technology may well impact the face of humanity,” said Dina Powell McCormick, recently appointed president and vice chairman of Meta, welcoming the Kingdom’s “desire” to partner with technology companies and its embrace of innovation.
Minister of Tourism Ahmed Alkhateeb, discussing how technology is being deployed in his sector, underlined that “in travel and tourism, people are very important. We learn about other people’s culture through interacting with people. We digitalize the unnecessary and humanize the necessary.”
He added that while technological transformation is a priority, “we don’t want to replace this big workforce with technology. I think we need to protect them in Saudi Arabia, where we’re being a model. I’m an advocate of keeping the people.”
Throughout the week, Saudi House will host more than 20 sessions, including over 10 accredited by the WEF, across six themes: Bold Vision, Insights for Impact, People and Human Capability, Quality of Life, Investment and Collaboration, and Welcoming the World.
The pavilion will also launch “NextOn,” a new series of influential and educational talks featuring leading global voices.
