Jeddah: The 27th session of the Near East Forestry and Range Commission (NEFRC) -- hosted by Saudi Arabia in Jeddah and co-organized by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC) -- continued yesterday with the participation of representatives from 27 countries.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the second day's sessions included discussions and specialized workshops bringing together experts and country delegations to enhance cooperation and mobilize joint efforts to achieve environmental sustainability. One workshop, titled 'Ecosystems as Investment: Returns, Pathways, and Co-Financing Opportunities,' addressed the financing gap in ecosystem restoration investments and its impact on land degradation and food security. The discussions focused on scaling up financial support in accordance with the circumstances of different countries to achieve the objectives of the regional investment framework, mechanisms to overcome barriers facing investors and close institutional gaps, and catalyzing and directing investment toward restoration by reframing it as profitable projects with measurable returns. Participants explored innovative financing pathways such as green bonds, carbon markets, and the roles of sovereign wealth funds and development banks.
The agenda also featured a workshop titled 'Integration between National Initiatives and Royal Reserves to Achieve Environmental Sustainability,' which reviewed vegetation cover rehabilitation efforts in the King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve and the King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve, highlighting achievements in natural regeneration. The workshop also addressed the Middle East Green Initiative as a leading regional initiative with environmental, economic, and social dimensions benefiting the region and the world.
The workshop emphasized the importance of strengthening community participation as an active partner in achieving sustainable development through training programs for local herders, encouraging environmental volunteering initiatives, and other measures.