Saudi Green Initiative intensifies fight against plastic pollution.

On June 5, the world will celebrate Environment Day with a focus on ending the disastrous effects of nondegradable waste, which is choking the planet with plastic pollution. The UN Environment Programme reports that the world produces around 400 million tons of plastic annually, and only 9 percent of it gets recycled. Almost 130,000 tons of plastic waste end up in the ocean every year. Saudi Arabia’s Green Initiative has played a crucial role in protecting the environment and reducing plastic use in the region since its launch three years ago. The initiative has supported international efforts to remove plastic from oceans, develop innovative waste management systems, and divert waste from landfill sites. Saudi Basic Industries Corp. is participating in the Alliance to End Plastic Waste Program to clean plastic from the oceans. The Saudi Investment Recycling Co. and National Center for Waste Management are leading an initiative to transform waste management in Riyadh, aiming to divert 94 percent of waste generated in Riyadh away from landfills and compost more than 1.3 million tons of biodegradable waste. The SGI has also committed to planting 10 billion trees across Saudi Arabia and rehabilitating 40 million hectares of land to restore the Kingdom’s natural beauty. Since the launch of the SGI, Saudi Arabia has planted 18 million trees within the Kingdom, of which 13 million are mangroves. The SGI plans to plant 50 billion trees across the Middle East and restore an area equivalent to 200 million hectares of degraded land, which will reduce global carbon levels by 2.5 percent. Saudi Arabia has also committed to protecting 30 percent of its terrestrial and marine area and is working in partnership with leading international organizations to safeguard the pristine landscapes of the Kingdom.