Muscat – The Middle East Green Initiative (MGI) took a significant step forward during its first ministerial council session in Jeddah on Wednesday with a bold pledge to plant 50bn trees across the region. This ambitious project aims to meet 5% of global afforestation goals, with 10bn trees planned in Saudi Arabia and the remaining 40bn in other Middle Eastern (ME) countries. The initiative also seeks to restore 200mn hectares of degraded land.

MGI is an effort to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the region by 670mn tonnes, representing 10% of global contributions. The initiative aims to combat the effects of climate change by improving air quality, reducing soil erosion, providing habitats for wildlife and absorbing carbon dioxide.

At the session, the council appointed a secretary-general of MGI and welcomed new member countries. Currently, the initiative is supported by 50 countries, organisations and regional bodies, all committed to addressing the climate crisis. The council urged other nations and financial contributors to join these efforts.

Oman was represented by Dr Abdullah bin Ali al Amri, Chairman of Environment Authority, at the session. In his speech, Amri highlighted the sultanate’s commitment to environmental sustainability in alignment with Oman Vision 2040 goals. He emphasised the importance of preserving natural resources and noted that Oman has made significant progress in the Global Environmental Performance Index, rising 95 places to rank 54th globally and second in the Arab world.

Amri also detailed Oman’s long-standing efforts in mangrove cultivation and wetland rehabilitation, positioning the country as a regional leader in biodiversity conservation. The sultanate has established 30 nature reserves covering around 1.7mn hectares and is focusing on expanding tree planting efforts through innovative technology, including using treated water and tissue culture techniques to enhance seedling production.

The session concluded with discussions on future strategies for afforestation, climate action and collaboration. Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to addressing land degradation, desertification and drought, and stressed the importance of regional cooperation in achieving these environmental goals.

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