Saudi Arabia tries to make its deserts bloom, but climate solutions still far

Sub: IR

Sec: Int Org

Context:

Saudi Arabia is investing heavily in green technology, aiming to transform its desert landscape and address environmental challenges such as drought and desertification.
The country is also hosting the United Nations COP16 conference on these issues, which are particularly relevant for the Gulf kingdom.
However, critics accuse the kingdom of greenwashing, suggesting that its efforts might not result in climate solutions due to limited scope of some projects and continued reliance on oil.

What is Greenwashing:

Greenwashing refers to the practice where companies, governments, or organizations promote themselves as environmentally friendly or sustainable, while their actions or policies do not significantly contribute to environmental protection.
It is often a deceptive marketing tactic designed to create a positive public image without making substantial or meaningful changes to reduce environmental impact.
Examples of Greenwashing include misleading claims by companies that their products are “eco-friendly” or “sustainable” without providing clear evidence or certifications to support these claims.

Middle East Green Initiative:

The Middle East Green Initiative (MGI) is a regional effort led by Saudi Arabia to mitigate the impact of climate change on the region and to collaborate to meet global climate targets.
The Initiative aims to plant 10 billion trees and rehabilitate 74 million hectares of land.
To accelerate the implementation of initiatives to achieve the MGI goals, Saudi Arabia announced that it will establish and host a dedicated MGI Secretariat and will allocate US $2.5 billion to support MGI projects and governance.