Riyadh: The Royal Commission for AlUla is participating in the Middle East and North Africa Climate Week 2023, which will be held in Riyadh from Oct. 8 to 12. The event is organized by the Ministry of Energy and the Secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The RCU’s participation in the event aims to highlight its role in protecting the natural environment and promoting sustainability as stipulated in the AlUla Sustainability Charter. Experts in relevant fields will discuss policies and possible solutions to curb climate change and mitigate its effects. The MENA Climate Week, held under the theme “Global Stocktake,” includes a number of important regional and international activities and meetings, in addition to exhibitions and cultural events, which aim to evaluate the progress that has been made toward implementing the goals of the Paris Agreement according to the following tracks: energy systems and industry; urban and rural settlements, infrastructure and transport; land, oceans, food and water; and societies, health, livelihoods and economies. During the MENA Climate Week, the RCU will showcase its vision and initiatives in protecting the environment, promoting sustainability, and restoring environmental balance, in line with the Saudi Green Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative. These include allocating 50 percent of the area of AlUla as natural reserves, rehabilitating 65,000 hectares of degraded land by planting more than 200 local tree species, and planting 3 million trees as part of a general afforestation project. The Kingdom’s hosting of MENA Climate Week 2023 comes before the UN Climate Change Conference, COP28, which provides the opportunity to review the region’s approach to climate action, highlight its efforts in this regard and draw attention to the effects of climate change at the local and regional levels.