JEDDAH: An initiative to plant 400,000 mangrove trees along the beaches of Rabigh that will be digitally monitored was launched by Governor Khalid Al-Mubairik.

The scheme involves the Makkah branches of the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, and the environmental consultancy Netzero, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

According to the SPA, the initiative seeks to expand vegetation cover, mitigate the effects of climate change, and enhance carbon absorption, thereby directly supporting the objectives of the Saudi Green Initiative, which aims to increase green cover, protect the natural environment, and advance the Kingdom’s transition toward net-zero carbon emissions, while serving as a model for smart afforestation solutions grounded in impact measurement and enhanced transparency.

The initiative builds on a previous effort launched last November, which aimed to plant 175,000 digitally monitored mangrove trees with an estimated carbon absorption capacity of up to 21,000 tonnes over six years, raising the combined goal of both initiatives to 400,000 digitally monitored mangrove trees.

The two initiatives will be implemented in partnership with the private sector through an integrated model that reflects public-private collaboration and strengthens the role of high-quality initiatives in advancing environmental sustainability, in line with the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.