RIYADH: Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli said Saudi Arabia considers the environment vital for public health and economic growth, noting that Vision 2030 has been key in revitalizing ecosystems and advancing sustainability in the Kingdom’s national transformation.
He made the remarks during the opening of the IFAT Saudi Arabia conference and exhibition in Riyadh, which brought together global leaders in the circular economy, decision-makers, and investors, highlighting Saudi Arabia’s role in promoting environmental action, knowledge exchange, and partnerships in water and waste management.
Running until Jan. 28, the exhibition focuses on waste management, environmental services, and water, presenting the latest technologies, solutions, and best practices, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
With more than 450 exhibitors from 35 countries and 10 national pavilions, the exhibition highlights the Kingdom’s role as a regional hub for environmental and sustainability sectors.
Visitors explore solutions in waste management, recycling, water treatment, and circular-economy applications, supporting the Kingdom’s sustainability goals and enhancing resource efficiency.
The minister noted significant advancements in the water sector, citing an integrated system covering production, transportation, distribution, treatment, and reuse, with a capacity exceeding 16 million cubic meters per day.
Saudi Arabia also operates one of the world’s largest water transport networks and currently reuses about 33 percent of treated water to support environmental sustainability and improve resource efficiency.
Al-Fadhli highlighted the achievements of the Saudi Green Initiative, which has rehabilitated more than 500,000 hectares of degraded land, planted more than 151 million trees, and expanded protected land and marine areas to about 18 percent, with a target of 30 percent by 2030.
He also noted the establishment of a national regulator for waste management and a comprehensive framework for the waste value chain. The sector offers more than 500 investment opportunities, projected to reach hundreds of billions of riyals over the next 25 years, supported by more than 900 facilities in the Kingdom.
Al-Fadhli expressed hope that the conference would foster partnerships and practical solutions, strengthen the waste management system, and advance the circular economy for a sustainable future.
The National Center for Waste Management signed several memoranda of understanding on the sidelines of IFAT Saudi Arabia to strengthen cooperation in waste management, sustainability, and circular economy practices.
The MoUs reflect the center’s efforts to expand strategic partnerships and enhance institutional integration in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals to protect the environment, improve quality of life, and advance the circular economy.
