SHARM EL-SHEIKH — The National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC) is participating in the second edition of the Saudi Green Initiative Forum and Exhibition, held in Sharm El-Sheikh in conjunction with the UN Climate Summit COP27.

The NCVC’s participation in the Saudi Green Initiative Forum and Exhibition, held under the slogan "From Ambition to Action", stems from its pioneering role in implementing the initiative of planting 10 billion trees in Saudi Arabia.

This initiative was launched by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Salman last year, within the framework of the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI), which targets improving the quality of life and preserving the environment for future generations in the Kingdom.

During the SGI, the Vegetation Center shared its role as a main reference leading the initiatives and efforts of the public and private sectors in the field of afforestation, by providing knowledge, in-depth expertise and best technological and technical practices used in the development of vegetation cover and combating desertification.

Through its participation at the exhibition launched in conjunction with the COP27 and held at the sideline of SGI, NCVC allowed visitors to discover the seven NCVC-led initiatives, notably the 10-billion tree initiative, over visual and interactive media, in addition to a prototype of the Wadi Lajab project located in Jazan.

Meanwhile, Dr. Khalid Bin Abdullah Al-Abdullah, CEO of the National Center for the Development of Vegetation Cover and Combating Desertification, will be a key panelist at a panel discussion titled "Greening the Desert: Technology-powered Development of Vegetation Cover" that will be held on the first day of the SGI Forum on Nov. 11.

The panel will address the importance of technological solutions such as artificial intelligence and machine solutions in afforestation processes.

The NCVC has launched seven initiatives to enhance green cover in Saudi Arabia, including the initiative of 10-billion tree-planting, management and sustainable development of forests, preserving and restoring vegetation cover in rangeland, developing vegetation cover, wildlife, and infrastructure for 50 national parks, planting 7 million trees in Royal Reserves, and involving the public and private sectors in the development of vegetation cover and combating desertification through planting 58 million trees in the locations owned by these entities.

The NCVC works to develop, protect and preserve vegetation sites, rehabilitate degraded ones, and restore biodiversity in natural environments, in addition to its role in supervising and investing in rangeland, forests, and national parks; to achieve the center's vision of creating a flourishing and diverse vegetation cover that promotes environmental sustainability and contributes to the quality of life. — SPA