RIYADH- Saudi Arabia's crown prince launched a Middle East Green Initiative on Monday which he said aimed to invest 39 billion riyals ($10.4 billion) to reduce carbon emissions in the region and protect the environment.

Plans for the initiative were first announced in March.

($1 = 0.2666 riyals)

(Reporting by Aziz El Yaakoubi and Ghaida Ghantous; Editing by Susan Fenton) ((ghaida.ghantous@thomsonreuters.com;))