Echoing statements made by HRH the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud at the original announcement of Saudi Green Initiative, the UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the world must go “further and faster” to combat climate change by the middle of the century.
In a statement to the inaugural Middle East Green Initiative Summit in Riyadh, Prime Minister Johnson said: “This is a region rich in history – the birthplace of the alphabet, algebra, coffee, the will and much of our civilization. But for many, the region has become most synonymous with fossil fuels. There is now a chance for a new chapter in the history of your region.
“A decade ago, such a meeting on climate change and the commitment you are all making would have been unthinkable, and shows the huge progress made in a short amount of time. However, we must go further and faster if we are to limit the increasing global temperature, and take the necessary action to protect people and nature from the effects of climate change.
“To fit that vital 1.5 degree target, our scientists say by the middle of the century the carbon we produce, and the amount nature removes from the atmosphere, should be in balance and we’re already feeling the impact of changes in our climate in different ways.”
Prime Minister Johnson also praised Saudi Arabia’s commitment to plant 10 billion trees, and the wider regional commitment to plant 50 billion trees highlighted earlier by HRH the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
Prime Minister Johnson said: “At Glasgow we’ll be seeking pledges, and actions across 4 areas: coal; cars; cash; and trees. This inaugural conference tackles the latter two head-on – cash and trees. 10 billion trees to be precise in Saudi Arabia, and 50 billion total across the region. That, my friends, is a lot of trees, and I hope you will match that outstanding level of ambition across all areas where action is needed.”
Earlier, HRH the Crown Prince announced a series of regional programs for climate action to an audience of dozens of heads of state at the event. On Saturday, HRH the Crown Prince also revealed that Saudi Arabia is aiming to achieve net zero emissions by 2060 through the Carbon Circular Economy approach.
The Middle East Green Initiative called for intensifying coordination and joint action to preserve and develop the importance of the environment and vegetation cover in Africa, in addition to establishing the Green Initiative Foundation as an independent non-profit entity to support the summit and raise the level of coordination.