According to data obtained from official Saudi sources, the forest area in Saudi Arabia will cover 0.45448% in 2021. Saudi Arabia’s forests contain 6 million metric tons of carbon in living forest biomass. About 2.7 million hectares of woodland remain in the mountains of Saudi Arabia, especially in remote, steep, inaccessible areas. The juniper (Juniper spp.) forests are one of the few dense forest habitats of Saudi Arabia and are concentrated along a narrow strip about 7,600 kilometers long. These forests prosper at 2,000 – 3,000 meters and are characterized by high diversity of species and biomass. Olives (Olea europaea L.) are starting to appear amongst the junipers on slopes at about 1,500 – 2,000 meters. In addition to mountain forests, there are woods in arid zones featuring acacias in the desert and mangroves along the coasts. The country’s main forest species are Juniperus procera, Olea europaea, Barbeya cleoides, Nuxia oppositifolia, N. congesta, Tarchonanthus comphoratus, Celtis africana, Breonadia salicina, Acacia origena, Teclea nobilis, Ficus vasta, Ficus ingens and Ficus sycomorus. There has been little change in the country’s forests over the past 10 years.

Saudi Arabia’s forests are mainly concentrated in regions like Asir and Al-Baha in the southwest. The country does not experience wildfires on the scale of more forested regions, so forest destruction due to wildfires is minimal. However, extreme heat and dry conditions, exacerbated by climate change, pose risks to these areas.

Forest sequestration, destruction, and development are not prominent elements in Saudi Arabia’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC). The country’s NDC focuses more on reducing greenhouse gas emissions through industrial and energy sector reforms than forest preservation. However, tree planting is part of the Saudi Green Initiative, which aims to plant 10 billion trees for broader environmental conservation and carbon sequestration efforts.

Public policies regarding forests in Saudi Arabia emphasize protection and expansion rather than destruction. The Saudi government has implemented measures to combat desertification and expand green areas, particularly under the Saudi Green Initiative. These policies aim to increase forest coverage through afforestation efforts and protect existing forests from overgrazing and illegal logging. However, rapid development in some regions does pose challenges to maintaining and expanding forest areas.

This Post was submitted by Climate Scorecard Saudi Arabia Country Managers Abeer Abdulkareem and Amgad Ellaboudy

Primary Influencer

Name: Dr. Osama Ibrahim Faqeeha

Title: Deputy Chairman of the Board of the National Center for Vegetation Cover and Combating Desertification

E-mail: faqeehoi@mewa.gov.sa

Dear Dr. Faqeeha,

I hope this message finds you well. In light of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing efforts to combat desertification and expand green cover, I would like to encourage the integration of forest sequestration and development strategies more directly into the country’s NDC commitments. Including forest protection and expansion as a core part of Saudi Arabia’s carbon sequestration goals could enhance the long-term sustainability of initiatives like the Saudi Green Initiative. By aligning these efforts with international climate goals, Saudi Arabia can protect its limited forests and contribute meaningfully to global environmental health.

Thank you for your dedication to safeguarding Saudi Arabia’s natural ecosystems. I look forward to seeing your continued leadership in this critical area.

Sincerely,
Climate Scorecard