Saudi Arabia is famend for its sacred spiritual cities, expansive desert landscapes, and vitality reserves. However, the nation is now aiming to diversify its oil-based economic system and safeguard the considerable assets of its surrounding seas via the “Vision 2030” program.
In an article revealed on the World Economic Forum’s web site, Amira Rima bint Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States, Faisal Al Ibrahim, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Economy and Planning, and Carlos El Duarte, head of the Red Sea Research Center, voiced their criticism of Saudi Arabia’s actions. They emphasised the nation’s efforts to guard its oceans and promote complete and sustainable development by investing within the water economic system sector.
With a shoreline spanning 2,640 km and encompassing greater than 300 islands and a whole lot of smaller ones, Saudi Arabia’s coastal areas function the world’s eighth largest coral reef system, protecting about 6,600 sq. kilometers. Additionally, the area is house to 204 sq. kilometers of mangrove forest and in depth sea grass beds, together with 20 newly found “blue pits” within the Red Sea.
This marine wealth underscores the importance of UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 (life beneath water) to Saudi Arabia’s sustainable growth. The nation has applied strict, complete insurance policies and regulatory frameworks to safeguard its atmosphere and ecosystems encompassing air, land, sea, human habitats, and wildlife.
Innovative options to guard ocean ecosystems
While the event of Saudi Arabia’s water economic system builds on conventional makes use of of the ocean for transportation, fishing, and recreation, superior applied sciences, information, and analytics are creating new alternatives to protect the Red Sea’s pure ecosystems via options comparable to renewable vitality.
Numerous initiatives beneath the Vision 2030 program concentrate on core rules of the water economic system, comparable to sustainable tourism and maritime logistics. The “Red Sea” challenge and the “Neum” challenge function formidable sustainable tourism investments, aiming to bolster pure belongings. Achieving these targets necessitates substantial investments in renewable vitality, sustainable supplies, modern design, and ecosystem restoration.
Furthermore, the marine economic system, coupled with transformative investments in innovation and know-how, positions Saudi Arabia on the forefront of creating a brand new water economic system – one which leverages ocean information and insights to domesticate a sustainable, knowledge-based economic system.
Each of those initiatives prioritizes the usage of cutting-edge applied sciences, together with environmental monitoring applied sciences, carbon-free desalination, regenerative aquaculture, transportation digitization, and superior coral cultivation. As the nation endeavors to revive its very important ecosystems, it’s paving the way in which for a wave of latest development and innovation.
Committed to sustainable growth targets
In latest years, Saudi Arabia has pledged to uphold UN Sustainable Development Goal 14, which calls on all signatories to “defend oceans, seas, and marine assets for sustainable growth”.
As a part of the “Saudi Green Plan”, the nation has dedicated to safeguard 30% of its land and sea areas by 2030.
Under Saudi Arabia’s presidency, the G20 agreed to determine a basis to guard coral reefs. With a $100 million funding from Saudi Arabia, this basis goals to halt the decline of coral reefs, that are projected to fade by 70-90% within the subsequent decade attributable to local weather change.
Moreover, Neom is partnering with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology to assemble the world’s largest coral backyard.
Accelerating innovation within the ocean area
During the World Economic Forum’s annual assembly in January 2024, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Economy and Planning inked an settlement with the discussion board to advance ocean innovation globally.
The marine economic system is projected to achieve $3 trillion by 2030, indicating that the water economic system has the potential to yield a fivefold return, producing $5 for each $1 invested. This presents a possibility for parallel growth and sustainable financial development.
For Saudi Arabia, worldwide collaborations to safeguard the atmosphere are essential not just for the restoration of pure ecosystems, but in addition to make sure their thriving situation to maintain marine life and wildlife.
The future financial development and resilience rely on prioritizing the oceans. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 program facilities on international cooperation, environmental safety, and sustainable financial growth, in the end safeguarding the well-being of its individuals, the planet, and international prosperity.