Abu dhabi: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is participating with a high-level delegation in the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi, showcasing its leading initiatives in the fields of sustainability and climate, as part of its vision to achieve a balance between economic development and the preservation of natural resources.
According to Emirates News Agency, Ahmad Al-Quraini, the official spokesperson for the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve Development Authority, stated that the authority is the second-largest royal reserve in Saudi Arabia, covering an area of approximately 91,500 square kilometers in the northeast of the Kingdom. He noted that the authority is working toward three main strategic goals: nature conservation, supporting local communities, and developing eco-tourism.
He explained that nature conservation is being pursued through increasing vegetation cover and reintroducing endangered wildlife species. Over the past three years, the authority, he said, has succeeded in raising vegetation cover from 1.5% to about 9%, in addition to reintroducing several species that had not existed in the region for nearly 100 years.