Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: The second day of SGI Talks delved deeper into the ecosystem services of coastal and marine habitats such as mangroves.

Nathalie Hilmi, Section Head of Environmental Economics, Scientific Center of Monaco and Lead Author for prior IPCC reports spoke with Rana Alyemeni, a Project Manager with the Saudi Green Initiative, about Harnessing Blue Carbon: Coastal and Marine Ecosystems in Carbon Sequestration, and how to evaluate the value of these essential ecosystems.

Dr. Hilmi emphasized the role of marine and coastal habitats as carbon sinks – capable of sequestering up to ten times more carbon than forests – adding that they also provide added services to humanity in the form of natural resources, protection from coastal erosion, water filtration, and cultural value in the form of education and eco-tourism.

“When we talk about blue carbon we often think about sequestration, but it is not only that, it is all the other services that are related to those blue carbon ecosystems” she stated. “And if they have a value, then decision makers, like investors, will say okay I want to protect this and nature will bring me a return”.

Dr. Hilmi also elaborated on her work with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) where she works with Dr. Carlos Duarte to evaluate the value of Saudi Arabia’s mangroves. “I work with KAUST to evaluate the mangroves in Saudi Arabia, their carbon sequestration but also their co-benefits, these other ecosystem benefits I told you about” she added.

Saudi Arabia is committed to the protection and restoration of these essential ecosystems, exemplified by the Saudi Green Initiative target to protect 30% of marine and coastal areas by 2030. A marine protected area of nearly 6,700km2 is already in place on the Red Sea coast, and the Kingdom targets planting 350 million mangrove trees by 2030. To date, over 37 million mangrove saplings have been planted along Saudi Arabia’s eastern and western shores.

SGI Talks run daily in the SGI Pavilion, at 3pm. Tomorrow’s session will focus on terrestrial conservation, taking a deep dive into the Kingdom’s wildlife rewilding efforts in the Royal Reserves, presented by the CEOs of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve Development Authority and the Imam Abdulaziz Royal Nature Reserve Development Authority.

-Ends-

ABOUT THE SAUDI GREEN INITIATIVE (SGI)

Under the patronage of HRH Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Green Initiative is charting a path for the Kingdom in protecting the planet. With ambitious targets spanning the coming decades, the national initiative aims to improve quality of life and protect future generations by increasing reliance on clean energy, offsetting the impact of fossil fuels, and protecting the environment. For more information visit: www.greeninitiatives.gov.sa

SGI AT UNCCD COP16

For the duration of COP16, SGI will welcome the public to a 4,000 m² Pavilion in the Green Zone, where the SGI Gallery will be open to visitors from 9:00am to 7:00pm (Fridays 2:00pm to 8:00pm).

SGI Talks, a daily expert-led speaker series, will run from December 5–13 in the SGI Gallery at 3:00pm, offering insights from global and Saudi climate leaders on key sustainability trends and innovations.

For those following along at home:
Visit our website: Saudi Green Initiatives Forum 2024 | Saudi & Middle East Green Initiatives
Follow our social media for latest updates