Saudi Arabia Sustainability Leadership Highlighted At IFAT Saudi Arabia 2026 Conference

Saudi Arabia is placing the environment at the centre of public health and economic planning, according to Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Alfadley, who linked this focus to Saudi Vision 2030 while opening the IFAT Saudi Arabia 2026 conference and exhibition in Riyadh.

Alfadley explained that Vision 2030 has helped refresh ecosystems and advance sustainability within the Kingdom’s wider national transformation, while IFAT Saudi Arabia 2026 gathered international circular economy experts, policy leaders and investors to discuss water and waste management, knowledge sharing and new partnerships.

The minister underlined that Saudi Arabia has created a national regulator for waste management and a detailed framework for the full waste value chain, noting that the sector now presents more than 500 investment opportunities, which are expected to reach hundreds of billions of riyals over the coming 25 years.

Alfadley said the growing waste management market is backed by over 900 facilities operating across the Kingdom, then pointed to major advances in Saudi Arabia’s water sector, where an integrated system now covers production, transportation, distribution, treatment and reuse, with total capacity exceeding 16 million cubic metres per day.

Saudi Arabia environment circular economy and Saudi Green Initiative

The minister highlighted outcomes from the Saudi Green Initiative, stating that more than 500,000 hectares of degraded land have been restored so far, while over 151 million trees have been planted, supporting wider environmental goals and improving natural habitats in many parts of the country.

Alfadley added that protected land and marine reserves now cover about 18 percent of Saudi Arabia’s total area, with a formal target to extend this share to 30 percent by 2030, aligning conservation efforts with the broader objectives set under Saudi Vision 2030.

Looking ahead, Alfadley expressed hope that discussions at IFAT Saudi Arabia 2026 would lead to practical solutions and long-term partnerships, help strengthen the national waste management system, and further support the circular economy, creating a more sustainable future for the Kingdom, as reported by SPA.

With inputs from SPA