Saudi Arabia Restores 1M Hectares of Land, Earns UN Praise

World Desk: The UN has praised Saudi Arabia for achieving the major national environmental milestone of restoring 1 million hectares of degraded land, in line with global environmental objectives, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.The organization said the achievement reflected an integrated approach and a clear commitment to delivering tangible change on the ground, demonstrating that land restoration was possible even in some of the world’s most challenging environments.Yasmine Fouad, executive secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, commended the Kingdom’s leadership in adopting major international environmental initiatives, including the Middle East Green Initiative and the Global Land Initiative, as well as its presidency of the Conference of the Parties.She said Saudi Arabia had helped raise global ambition and strengthen collective action, emphasizing that restoring degraded land was not only an environmental priority but also a development and humanitarian achievement.Such efforts directly enhanced food security, supported local economies, created jobs, and improved the quality of life in affected communities, while also addressing broader global challenges such as climate change, stability in fragile regions, and displacement linked to land degradation, she added.Fouad said the restoration of 1 million hectares was “not just a number” but a powerful message at a time when the world faced accelerating land degradation and worsening drought.She added that the milestone underscored the importance of strong partnerships among government, the private sector, and civil society, demonstrating that multilateral cooperation was essential to achieving meaningful transformation.The Kingdom had also presented a global model for ecosystem restoration by adopting nature-based solutions, leveraging innovation, and aligning policies with practical implementation, she said.These efforts form part of the broader Saudi Green Initiative and are grounded in rigorous scientific methodologies for measurement and verification to restore ecosystem functions, enhance biodiversity, and ensure sustainable resource management for future generations.Fouad expressed appreciation for the Kingdom’s continued efforts to advance the global environmental agenda, noting that the achievement marked an important step in a longer journey requiring sustained commitment, faster action, and broader partnerships.Land restoration, she added, was an investment in people, stability, and a more sustainable and prosperous future for all.