Saudi official commends Beijing's green efforts

China has done "exceptionally well" in tackling land degradation, drought and desertification, and its sharing of knowledge and experience will promote global efforts in fighting land degradation, says a senior Saudi Arabian official.

Osama Ibrahim Faqeeha, deputy minister of environment of Saudi Arabia, said his country will host the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Riyadh next month, which is a "vital and timely opportunity" to increase drought resilience, improve monitoring and enhance global commitments to land restoration.

"China's contribution to global land restoration has been significant, particularly through initiatives like the Great Green Wall Project, which has seen more than 66 billion trees planted and the reclamation of millions of hectares of desertified land," Faqeeha said, adding the scale of the project's greening is "so massive that, according to NASA it is observable from space".

The project, also known as the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program, has reduced soil erosion and restored land while showcasing the effect land restoration can have on surrounding communities, he said. Chinese companies and experts are expected to share their expertise and good practices at COP16 for the good of the world, he added.

Global leader

"As a global leader in green technology and land restoration, China's participation at COP16 is valued as part of the wider international community's efforts to address land degradation," Faqeeha said. "COP16 will provide an opportunity to share learnings from these major projects as we seek to mobilize international action on land degradation, drought and desertification."

Faqeeha cited recent research by nonprofit Global Energy Monitor in San Francisco, which showed that the amount of wind and solar power under construction in China is nearly twice as much as in the rest of the world combined.

China's green technologies will help achieve long-term environmental sustainability, and its efforts to restore degraded land are in line with Saudi Arabia's visions and the two countries should work together, he said.

"Saudi Arabia and China share common challenges and opportunities in addressing climate change and land restoration. Both understand the importance of technological innovation and large-scale environmental initiatives in combating the challenges.

"Clearly, the strategic priorities of landmark projects such as Saudi's Green Initiative and China's Great Green Wall Project are closely aligned."

The writer is a freelance journalist for China Daily.