In recent years, Saudi Arabia has undergone a total regeneration.
Once known for being the home of religious Muslim sites, oil merchants and desert plains, this Middle Eastern country is now making plans towards a greener future.
At the centre of this is the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) – a government plan designed to help combat climate change and position the country as a global sustainability leader.
So what is the initiative? And how are startups playing a part?
What Is The Saudi Green Initiative?
Launched in 2021, the Saudi Green Initiative is part of the country’s Vision 2030 – a concept built around creating an environment where everyone has the opportunity to succeed – and a huge element of this is climate initiatives.
To help achieve this, the Saudi government plans to:
- Plant 10 billion trees
- Rehabilitate over 74 million hectares of land
- Designate 30% of the Kingdom as protected areas
- Reduce carbon emissions and increase renewable energy adoption
- Foster a circular carbon economy
- Improve quality of life and biodiversity
The Saudi Green Initiative will work closely with the Middle East Green Initiative to increase climate action across the entire region.
Building A Sustainability Workforce
As a way to deliver the promises laid out in the SGI, Saudi is seeing a green job boom. According to recent statistics, the green sector has grown by over 30% in the past five years.
This has been largely driven by investments in areas such as renewable energy, sustainable agriculture and eco-tech according to Qureos.
Ultimately, the SGI is ambitious and the country needs man power to drive it forwards.
The Growth Of Regional Innovators
But Saudi Arabia isn’t just driving green jobs, it’s driving innovation too.
The Mega Green Accelerator, led by PepsiCo, SABIC, and AstroLabs, launched to power innovators across the MENA region as they work together to combat regional and global sustainability challenges.
As a region highly affected by the rising temperatures caused by climate change, these innovators will play a key role in bringing Vision 2030 to reality.
How Startups Are Driving The SGI To Success
Whilst the Saudi government is driving the vision behind the SGI, it’s startups that are helping to bring it to life.
Across the region, a number of startups have launched to help combat water scarcity, improve renewable energy access and find new ways of sustainable farming.
Here are some that we think are worth knowing about:
Desert Technologies
As a leader in renewable energy, Desert Technologies is helping to create and deploy solar panels across the Middle East. Currently operating in over 25 countries, the company creates solar technologies that can be installed across both city and rural areas, helping drive communities away from fossil fuels and towards renewable sources.
With Saudi Arabia looking to generate 50% of its electricity from renewables by 2030, Desert Technologies is helping to drive it in the right direction.
Naqaa Solutions
Recycling is another important part of SGI, and Naqaa Solutions is leading the charge. This startup helps companies across Saudi Arabia recycle more easily, driving them closer to net zero.
With their unique products, including the reverse vending machines and recycling bins, the company helps more businesses improve their waste management. This drive not only prevents materials ending up in landfill, it also helps businesses and governments drive themselves towards reaching their sustainability goals.
SecondSky
With harsh desert temperatures to contend with, SecondSky creates heat blocking covers that protect crops and preserve water.
These sheets help crop thrive in the country’s tough climate, allowing farmers to grow for more months in the year and boost yields. It’s a great example of how innovation in farming can help Saudi Arabia use more of its land for agriculture, conserve water, and improve crop yield.
Tamala
As a way to help boost agriculture in Saudi Arabia, Tamala launched to provide new technologies and affordable products to local farmers across Saudi Arabia.
Also known as the Red Sea Farms Cooperative, it exists to help drive agricultural production and continue powering the Agri-tech sector forwards.
A Green Revolution in Saudi
As Saudi Arabia moves closer to delivering its Vision 2030, the country is not only driving economic growth, but climate resistance too.
Startups are playing a huge role in this, and it will be interesting to see what new innovations emerge as a result.
For now, we’ll watch closely to see how Saudi Arabia moves to meet its target and become a leader in global sustainability.
Sources:
- Sharikatmubasher
- Qureos
- Astrolabs
- Arab News
- NU camp
