Saudi Arabia knows that it is at the mercy of fluctuations in the price of oil, its main source of economic development. As part of “Vision 2030”, the ambitious program of investments in the sectors of industry, infrastructure and services intended to diversify its economy, it presented, on Saturday March 27, a new project based on the fight against climate change.
With the “Saudi Green Initiative”, the kingdom plans to reduce CO emissions2 by increasing the share of renewable energies in its energy consumption to 50% by 2030, announced Crown Prince Mohammed Ben Salman.
Reject a “false choice” between economy and environment
Saudi Arabia also wants to plant ten billion trees on its territory over the next ten years, he added in a statement released by the official SPA news agency. As part of a “Middle East Green Initiative”, the kingdom plans to plant 40 billion additional trees in collaboration with other Arab countries, said Mohammed Ben Salman.
“The kingdom, the region and the whole world must go much further and much faster in their fight against climate change”, said the crown prince. “We reject the false choice between preserving the economy and protecting the environment. “
However, the press release does not specify how the authorities will go about planting so many trees, then taking care of them, in a largely desert territory with extremely limited water resources.
