16 February, 2023
Reversing desertification and regreening Saudi Arabia while aiming for a carbon neutral economy by 2060 seems ambitious. Plant scientists Heribert Hirt believes it can be done, provided there is a true collaborative spirit among all involved. Two large-scale projects at KAUST are contributing significant new information about desert and mangrove plants, as well as the microbial communities in the soils that support them. This, says Hirt, lies at the heart of making a reality of Saudi’s Green Initiative and the Saudi 2060 vision of net zero carbon.
The Saudi Green Initiative aims to plant 10 billion trees in the country with the goal of reversing desertification. KAUST’s plant scientists are working on the sustainability strategy for this initiative.