Half Winning Against Desertification
by Abdulaziz Alzoman
For many years, Saudi Arabia's natural landscape has been suffering from desertification, which is causing an increased incidence of sandstorms, a decrease in the number of species, and most importantly, a major cause of climate change. All these problems have one simple solution in common, stop cutting trees to stop the desertification. Trees reduce soil erosion and keep moisture in the soil hence, less dust in the air, and trees provide shelters and food sources to lots of species and feed on CO2, the number one cause of climate change.
The Contribution of government against desertification
Saudi Arabia (the Kingdom) has taken the issue of desertification seriously through the announcement of the Saudi Green initiative (SGI). The SGI targets include planting 10 billion trees in the Kingdom and raising the protected areas to more than 30% of the total land area of the Kingdom, though, the Kingdom's serious efforts toward climate change started long before that. In 2018, the Kingdom has established the Special Force for Environmental Security (SFES), tasked with enforcing environmental laws such as banning logging, and igniting a fire without a fire pit, with fines up to $13 thousand.
The Contribution of individuals against desertification
Trees are on the top of my list and many Saudis, for places to spend the weekends, especially in winter, be it public parks, national parks or simply any place you could find trees, as we enjoy trees company, either as groups, mainly in national parks or remote areas to have interesting conversations around the fire, or as individuals to reduce stress and clear one’s mind, but due to desertification, most of the good spots are crowded, which force us sometimes to have our picnic in “treeless area” that results in a less enjoyable outing. We face a hard time when sandstorm comes knocking on our doors, making us cancel our plans for the day and prison us in our houses, not to mention people with asthma who may need to go to the emergency department, and the climate change will make the severity of these sandstorms even worse, thus, planting trees isn’t only a luxury, but it also a necessity.
For the past decade, a few associations have been created in many local provinces to fight the war against desertification in their respected areas. Through their social media accounts, they announce the plantation initiatives to gather volunteers. The government has enhanced the associations’ efforts through the creation of the National Volunteer Portal. Now the process of connecting the associations with volunteers is much easier than before.
Thanks to the government, there has never been an easier time for individuals to contribute to the wellbeing of the environment, because on March, 2021, the government has launched Ehsan. Ehsan is a website for gathering donations for all sorts of charity works, including plantation initiatives, for a $19 donation, you will cover the cost of one tree and the needed care for three years.
What’s left to be solved
Excessive logging is one of the major contributors to desertification, but with the newly established SFES, this issue will be long forgotten coupled with the SGI and the plantation initiatives by various associations that will replace the chopped wood, we are heading toward a brighter future, but here is the big but, the two aforementioned goals of the SGI, have no defined dates, who knows when these goals will be accomplished, these goals should at least be completed by 2040 and the sooner is better, or otherwise they will have less of meaningful impact, particularly in regards to climate change. Not all trees will be lucky to be planted inside a protected area like a national park, especially with the ambitious goal of planting 10 billion trees, and the SFES presence is mostly focused on the protected areas, so the “unprotected areas” will be at risk of excessive logging and that will hinder the plantation initiatives in these areas, including the SGI. Remedy for such an issue is through us, the main source of desertification. You must get rid of selfishness so that before you cut a tree, think of the disappointment that will happen to all people who will come next to see their favorite spot has been ruined, or to the ones who planted the tree. If you can’t be a part of the solution, don’t be a part of the problem.
About
I’m an energy analyst. Most of my work is involved around finding ways to enable the use of sustainable energy and reduce GHG emissions in an efficient and effective manner.