Saudi Arabia is turning arid desert sand into lush blooming soil

Amid a vast landscape of sun-scorched sand and earth, where deserts reign supreme and water remains scarce, lies a kingdom taking bold strides towards a greener future.

This is Saudi Arabia, a nation synonymous with boundless deserts and rich oil reserves, that is now investing heavily in green technology to breathe life into its arid lands.

Restoring degraded desert land

The capital city, Riyadh, recently hosted the United Nations COP16 conference that focused on drought and desertification.

Because this scenario is all too familiar in the Kingdom, its officials have committed to restoring an impressive 40 million hectares of degraded desert land.

This audacious goal demonstrates Saudi Arabia’s movement towards environmental sustainability, but it remains intertwined with its history as a defender and producer of oil.

The country’s green initiatives are discordantly set against its continued investment in fossil fuels, which raises the question of whether these green efforts hold sufficient climate solution merit.

According to a 2023 report issued by PwC, Saudi Arabia contributes a staggering 75% of the Middle East’s investment in global climate technology startups.

However, this green investment leans heavily towards energy, with a plan to inject $363 million into climate-friendly energy solutions.

This figure dwarfs the relatively meager amount put into food, agriculture, and land-use innovations – areas that are critical for addressing the Kingdom’s water scarcity and ensuring sustainable development.

Harnessing microorganisms: A solution in the sand

In a sprawling complex, nestled in the desert north of Jeddah, a promising new project is underway.

The focus is on utilizing microorganisms to lessen the energy expense of treating wastewater.

At the helm of this innovative endeavor is Peiying Hong, an environmental science and engineering scholar from the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.

Hong explains that the process capitalizes on microorganisms to convert carbon into methane gas, which powers the facility while purifying wastewater.

The end result is nutrient-rich water that can nurture life in a desert, supporting the production of livestock feed and combating desertification.

Turning desert sand into soil

Access to a sustainable water source could be a game-changer for Saudi Arabia, a nation that grapples with severe water scarcity.

As part of its Middle East Green Initiative, the Kingdom plans to plant a staggering 10 billion trees and rehabilitate over 74 million hectares of land. For this ambitious plan to succeed, effective water and soil management are key.

At the same university, Himanshu Mishra, who is an environmental science and engineering expert, offers another innovative solution. His team believes they have created a product capable of transforming Saudi’s desert sand into cultivable land.

Their secret weapon? Carbon-enriched compost derived from an abundant local resource – chicken manure.

This advanced compost, which retains vital nutrients and water while enhancing microbial biodiversity, is already turning arid soils into verdant landscapes.

Moreover, Saudi Arabia could potentially export this carbonated topsoil along with the supporting technology, which would broaden the scope of their green initiatives.

Funding green tech: The challenge ahead

Though rife with potential, scaling such endeavors requires substantial financial backing and political support.

“We really need venture funding and investment to demonstrate their effectiveness on a large scale,” noted Hong.

Indeed, securing funding for green tech startups isn’t a walk in the park. It’s “extremely hard,” said John Robinson, an investor and partner at Mazarine Ventures. Despite the challenges, some promising startups manage to attract private investors.

As the world’s leading exporter of crude oil, Saudi Arabia’s fervent defense of this resource casts a shadow over its green ambitions.

In the face of it all, the Kingdom continues to invest in technologies like carbon capture and hydrogen production as part of its touted “circular carbon economy.”

Critics argue this is merely greenwashing, aimed at perpetuating fossil fuel investments.

The Saudi Green Initiative isn’t without its detractors. In May 2024, the European Center for Democracy and Human Rights (ECDHR) claimed that this initiative masked Saudi’s ongoing fossil fuel reliance and disregard for environmental justice.

In response, Riyadh defends its actions as being integral to its energy security.

As Saudi Arabia ventures into its green future, balancing oil production with environmental conservation will be its greatest challenge.

Yet, the Kingdom’s bold strides show a promising commitment towards a greener world.

Details of the study are presented in a report by the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.

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