Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Cooperation Council countries have much arid desert, but they are also home to mountain forests, rangelands, wetlands, and mangroves forests. Yet these habitats playing a vital role in supporting biodiversity and traditional culture in the region are at risk. Degraded land increased from 0.7% in 2015 to 9.5% in 2019, according to UN reports, but some experts estimate the actual percentage may be much higher.
Combating land degradation in the GCC | Strategy& Middle
What can be done, both in the GCC and globally, to counter such land degradation? That question will be the focus of the UN’s COP-16 Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), taking place in Riyadh from December 2-13, which aims to scale and speed up existing efforts. While less in the public eye than carbon emissions, land challenges are no less important given it’s vital for our livelihood, providing food and water and supporting biodiversity. Land also plays an essential role in climate-change adaptation and mitigation; indeed, climate change cannot be effectively tackled without addressing land degradation.
Degradation is mainly the result of man-made causes including deforestation, unsustainable agricultural practices, overgrazing, and urbanization, all compounded by climate change. Globally, more than 100 million hectares of land was lost to degradation each year between 2015 and 2019, according to the UNCCD—the equivalent of losing land roughly twice the size of Saudi Arabia during that period only.
In the GCC, tackling land degradation will help reduce occurrences of dust storms, enhance air quality, and advance countries’ environmental agendas. There’s a cultural aspect too: healthy lands are needed for continued grazing and linkages to nomadic life. Given the region’s unique characteristics and challenges, we believe GCC countries should focus on three priorities as they look to slow or reverse land degradation.
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Adopt sustainable grazing models GCC countries should prioritize addressing the primary contributor to land loss: overgrazing. While degradation is caused by everything from urban sprawl to woodcutting and unsustainable agricultural practices, overgrazing accounts for about 90% or more of land degradation in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait. In fact, the land today supports livestock and free-roaming camels far beyond its current capacity. A rapid shift is needed to sustainable grazing models that restore land and increase its carrying capacity. That in turn should be articulated in an integrated land-use plan, which includes economic and social factors as well as ecological ones.
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Rehabilitate and regenerateA second priority is to adopt a more holistic ecosystem rehabilitation approach, in addition to reforestation. Reforestation has been successful in the regeneration of several areas in the GCC, including dryland restoration in Al-Thumamah, north of Riyadh, and mangroves’ restoration in Abu Dhabi. Building on these efforts through restorations that adapt interventions to the intrinsic characteristics of the land can yield healthy habitats that support the livelihood of a variety of wildlife species.
Combining assisted and natural land restoration is important not only from an ecological perspective but also from an economic one. Globally, afforestation is at least four times more costly than passive regeneration. In the GCC region, the cost difference is even higher, given the typical need to irrigate newly planted saplings for a period of 2-3 years, coupled with the scarcity and cost of water. Adopting a habitat rehabilitation approach will be especially important for the successful delivery of large-scale programs in the region such as the Saudi and Middle East Green Initiatives. -
Coordinate efforts through awareness, collaboration, and use of technologyCombatting land degradation will require coordinated efforts to increase awareness of the problem, greater collaboration with local communities and others, and broader use of advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence.
Awareness of the importance of land in the GCC and the challenges it faces is a starting point. Land champions are needed, similar to those for climate and biodiversity. The UNCCD COP meeting in Riyadh in December will surely help raise the profile of the issue.
Collaboration is another critical element. This includes collaboration with local communities, particularly rural ones, as they are at the forefront of challenges and solutions for land stewardship. Private sector engagement is also needed and should be supported by the creation of bankable business models.
Technology also has a role to play in accelerating efforts to address land degradation. New technologies can overcome shortcomings in assessing the extent of degradation in the region, including using AI-powered tools and improved satellite remote sensing technology. Effective low-cost and low water-consuming techniques for land restoration are also needed.
In conclusion, addressing land degradation in the GCC requires a proactive and holistic approach. By focusing on mitigating key pressures, implementing active and passive restoration methods, and fostering collaboration, GCC countries can reclaim their land resources. Sustainable land management will not only improve land and water security but also contribute to biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and long-term socioeconomic stability.
This article originally appeared in ESG MENA, December 2024.
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