Initiative to Develop Preparedness for Drought and Mitigate its Severity

The Initiative to Develop Preparedness for Drought and Mitigate its Severity is an initiative launched by the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on September 27, 2022, as one of the National Transformation Program initiatives to achieve Saudi Vision 2030. The initiative is part of the targets of the Saudi Green Initiative and the Kingdom’s efforts to reduce the damages of desertification and drought by increasing afforestation projects and rehabilitating degraded vegetation areas.

The Initiative to Develop Preparedness for Drought and Mitigate its Severity aims to confront the increasing manifestations of desertification, sandstorms, the continuous rise in temperatures, and extreme climatic conditions that affect living conditions. It seeks to establish a system to combat desertification, sand encroachment, and scarcity of freshwater resources, targeting areas threatened by drought and land degradation, protecting segments of society in these regions, and contributing to environmental protection from natural impacts by reducing drought and desertification, thereby halting the repercussions of climate change.

The Initiative to Develop Preparedness for Drought and Mitigate its Severity includes a number of projects, such as surveying Saudi provinces to identify sites prone to sand encroachment and devising measures to limit it. It also involves developing a national strategy to combat desertification, sand encroachment, and dust storms; reducing the intensity of drought; and determining the level of desertification and land degradation.

The initiative encompasses studies to evaluate the extent to which areas are affected by severe drought waves, preparing measures to mitigate their extreme impacts, assessing the damage caused by invasive plants in the southern and southwestern regions, and devising control methods. It also includes examining the executive plan to combat desertification, sand encroachment, and dust storms, as well as reducing drought severity.

The initiative works on detecting encroachments on vegetation cover and addressing harmful and incorrect behaviors through awareness campaigns launched by the center and holding violators accountable. It encourages investment in rangelands, forests, and national parks to achieve sustainable development in the Kingdom.