Green Riyadh, Ambitious Urban Environmental Forestation Project

Green Riyadh project is one of the most ambitious urban forestation projects in the world. It is one of Riyadh’s four megaprojects launched on 19 March 2019. The project will be a milestone that contributes to fulfilling a key goal of the Saudi Vision 2030 to promote Riyadh’s position among the world’s top livable cities. The Green Riyadh project will contribute to increasing the per capita share of green space, and raise the total green spaces by planting trees around all city features and facilities as well as in all its provinces. All of the greenings will be watered by recycled water from an irrigation network. The greening initiative will lead to improved air quality and reduced temperatures in the city. As a consequence, this project will encourage Riyadh citizens to follow a healthy lifestyle which is part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. Afforestation include planting 7.5 million trees across the capital, 3,330 neighborhood gardens, 43 parks, 6,000 schools, 2,000 car parking sites 1,670 public facilities, 390 healthcare facilities 64 universities and colleges, 16,400 kms of streets and roads, 1,100 kms green belts along utilities lines (power stations oil pipelines, etc.), and 272 kms valleys. About 72 native shade plant species compatible with Riyadh’s environment will be used for the project. Project benefits include the reduce of ambient temperature by 2 Celsius degrees during summer season, reduce temperatures by 8-15 Celsius degrees in selected intensively afforested locations across the city improve the air quality by reducing CO2 concentration by 3-6%, reduce dust concentration in the air, reduce annual power consumption by 650 gigawatt/hour, through encouraging the principles of Green Building techniques that use green ceilings and walls, improve readiness for handling rainwater and minimize the flood hazards , encourage citizens of Riyadh to adopt a healthy lifestyle, preserve natural zones and improve the biological diversity , improve quality of life and promote Riyadh’s position among the world’s top liveable cities, yield about 18 billion Euro as ROI 2030 through less healthcare expenses, lower electricity consumption, higher real estate value, use of treated wastewater as a replacement for potable water for irrigation, and Improve urban landscape of Riyadh.