Taif Municipality aims to enhance public well-being and physical activities, support environmental sustainability, and contribute to boosting tourism by providing peaceful and natural areas for residents and visitors to enjoy.
Green spaces in Taif City, Saudi Arabia, have expanded to 8 million square meters in 2024 due to ongoing efforts by Taif Municipality to promote afforestation and environmental sustainability. Thousands of trees have been planted throughout the city with the involvement of volunteers, school students, and non-profit associations.
According to the municipality, the city is entering a new phase of greening, which aligns with the comprehensive development vision and supports the objectives of the Saudi Green Initiative. This initiative focuses on combating climate change, reducing carbon emissions, rehabilitating lands, improving quality of life, and protecting the environment for future generations.
The Saudi Green Initiative
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia set the Saudi Green Initiative in motion back in March of 2021, moving the country forward towards a sustainable diversified economy and at the same time reducing the nation’s carbon footprint.
This initiative addresses sustainable and environmental challenges being faced around the globe by spreading green vegetation across the Kingdom with the aim to over time plant 10 billion trees. To imagine the scope of this endeavor, 10 billion trees encompasses land equivalent to the size of Belgium.
Trees are important to the planet as they produce clean oxygen and also reduce CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions. In addition, trees are a force against desertification and help to conserve water as their roots and leaves capture rainwater and reduce runoff, increasing water storage in the soil. The Green Initiative itself also addresses protecting the coastal and marine areas by promoting sustainable fishing and protecting coral reefs.
