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The Royal Commission for AlUla Participates in IUCN’s Leaders Forum in South Korea

Among other things, the two-day IUCN Leaders Summit that kicked off on Thursday will discuss mechanisms for conserving biodiversity.
Among other things, the two-day IUCN Leaders Summit that kicked off on Thursday will discuss mechanisms for conserving biodiversity.
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The Royal Commission for AlUla Participates in IUCN’s Leaders Forum in South Korea

Among other things, the two-day IUCN Leaders Summit that kicked off on Thursday will discuss mechanisms for conserving biodiversity.
Among other things, the two-day IUCN Leaders Summit that kicked off on Thursday will discuss mechanisms for conserving biodiversity.

The Royal Commission for AlUla is participating in the leaders forum for the International Union for Conservation of Nature in the South Korean island of Jeju.

The two-day IUCN Leaders Summit that kicked off on Thursday will discuss mechanisms for conserving biodiversity, restoring natural habitats, and discussing ways of cooperation among IUCN member states to exchange experiences and develop ways of cooperation that enable the achievement of goals and build capacity.

RCU will hold a panel discussion on the topic "Restoring the Past for the Future" as part of the meeting schedule.

There are many concerns related to nature, but sustainability, new approaches to environmental preservation, and ways to promote thriving societies are at the top of the list.

The Royal Commission specialists will examine AlUla's methodology during the session in terms of overcoming obstacles and pursuing long-term goals in the presence of Waleed Aldayel, PMO Director at RCU, and Razan Al Mubarak, IUCN president.

Through its participation in the meetings of South Korea, RCU hopes to strengthen its position as a knowledge-based organization and strategic model for the preservation of the natural and cultural environment. It also hopes to open up channels of communication for the exchange of ideas and experiences between various parties and pertinent organizations.

In accordance with the "Vision of AlUla," RCU seeks to preserve the cultural, historical, and natural heritage through a number of initiatives and programs. Additionally, by enrolling citizens of AlUla in training programs for heritage preservation, RCU helps to raise awareness and encourage community participation in these programs.

In February 2021, the Royal Commission for AlUla obtained government membership in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in recognition of its strong commitment to efforts to safeguard the environment in AlUla Governorate, including support and empowerment of reserves, management of natural heritage through the Union's Green List of Protected Areas and Preserves, and assistance with the implementation of wildlife management and restoration.

The agreement strengthens RCU's goal of safeguarding natural resources and reestablishing environmental balance in the governorate, which helps to advance AlUla's status as one of the world's top tourist destinations for natural, archaeological, and cultural sites. By assigning 80% of AlUla's land, RCU's objective for restoring environmental balance is in keeping with the "Saudi Green" strategy.

It is important to note that the IUCN was founded in 1948 and that the Kingdom became a member of the Union in 1981.

It has recently taken steps in the Arabian Peninsula to make sure that the Red List of Endangered Species and the Green List of Protected Areas are incorporated into local plans and legislation.

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Saudi Reef: Coffee Production Reaches 7,400 Tons in 2026

The program also provides specialized training in organic farming, pest control, modern irrigation, and coffee cultivation - SPA
The program also provides specialized training in organic farming, pest control, modern irrigation, and coffee cultivation - SPA
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Saudi Reef: Coffee Production Reaches 7,400 Tons in 2026

The program also provides specialized training in organic farming, pest control, modern irrigation, and coffee cultivation - SPA
The program also provides specialized training in organic farming, pest control, modern irrigation, and coffee cultivation - SPA

The Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program (Saudi Reef) reported that Saudi coffee production rose from 800 tons annually in 2020 to approximately 7,400 tons in 2026, an increase of more than 825%, supporting Saudi Vision 2030 objectives.

Saudi Reef spokesperson Majed Al-Buraikan said the number of beneficiaries in the coffee sector exceeded 6,200 in 2026, up 207% from 2021, while total support surpassed SAR 185 million, SPA reported.

The funding supports small-scale producers, agricultural investment, and coffee value chains.

Al-Buraikan said approximately 4.4 million coffee seedlings are expected to raise production to more than 20,000 tons at full capacity.

The program also provides specialized training in organic farming, pest control, modern irrigation, and coffee cultivation.

Development efforts included producing 1,000 improved cuttings to enhance varieties and productivity, agricultural projects involving 8,000 coffee seedlings, and cultivation trials at 12 sites to expand cultivation and improve yields, quality, and sustainability.

The program’s 2026 targets included increasing annual production to 7,000 tons and raising self-sufficiency from 0.5% to 4.4%. Actual production exceeded the target, reaching 7,400 tons.

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KAUST Unveils Landmark Coral Facility on Red Sea, Advancing Saudi Scientific Expertise and Marine Conservation

KCRI is designed to restore the Red Sea reefscape and offer a framework that coral restoration programs worldwide can adopt. (SPA)
KCRI is designed to restore the Red Sea reefscape and offer a framework that coral restoration programs worldwide can adopt. (SPA)
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KAUST Unveils Landmark Coral Facility on Red Sea, Advancing Saudi Scientific Expertise and Marine Conservation

KCRI is designed to restore the Red Sea reefscape and offer a framework that coral restoration programs worldwide can adopt. (SPA)
KCRI is designed to restore the Red Sea reefscape and offer a framework that coral restoration programs worldwide can adopt. (SPA)

The King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) launched the KAUST Coral Restoration Initiative’s large-scale coral facility, restoring and advancing one of Saudi Arabia’s most precious natural assets, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday.

On Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast, the KAUST Coral Restoration Initiative (KCRI) land-based nursery and research campus is now growing corals at scale. It is designed to produce up to 360,000 corals a year, to outplant more than two million corals across 100 hectares of reef at Shushah Island by 2030, and to establish a resilient reef ecosystem by 2040.

This opening of the world’s largest coral restoration facility, announced at COP31 in Antalya, arrives at a moment of acute urgency for the world’s reefs. The fourth global coral bleaching event, confirmed by NOAA as the most severe in recorded history, affected more than 84% of the world’s reef area between 2023 and 2025.

Coral reefs support around a quarter of all marine species, protect coastlines from storms and sustain the livelihoods of more than 500 million people. (SPA)

The Red Sea is the right place to start. Its corals live in some of the warmest, saltiest waters on Earth, and they hold lessons about resilience that reefs everywhere will need. KCRI combines the Red Sea’s unique corals with KAUST’s world-class marine science to learn how corals can be grown at scale and conditioned to withstand warmer water before they return to the reef.

The initiative also draws on the expertise of the Coral Research and Development Accelerator Platform (CORDAP), which works internationally to accelerate scientific and technological solutions for coral reef conservation and restoration.

KCRI brings four components together in a single restoration system, including a large-scale land-based coral nursery, sea-based nurseries, more than 50 research programs spanning coral probiotics, heat-resilient corals, robotics and AI-driven modelling and eCoral, an AI-driven digital twin of the reefscape that guides where and how every coral is planted and monitored.

Saudi scientists, divers and aquarists are playing an important role in KCRI’s restoration efforts, developing specialist expertise in coral cultivation, marine science and reef restoration. (SPA)

Saudi scientists, divers and aquarists are playing an important role in KCRI’s restoration efforts, developing specialist expertise in coral cultivation, marine science and reef restoration. Beyond its restoration activities, KCRI represents a long-term investment in Saudi Arabia’s marine science capabilities.

Coral reefs support around a quarter of all marine species, protect coastlines from storms and sustain the livelihoods of more than 500 million people. KCRI is designed to restore the Red Sea reefscape and offer a framework that coral restoration programs worldwide can adopt.

KAUST is also working with international partners on how coral diversity can be safeguarded for future generations.

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Portugal Closes All Schools and Non-Essential Services Ahead of a Major Atlantic Storm

Heavy machinery clears the debris from a landslide along the Marocos road in Machico municipality, on the Portuguese island of Madeira, due to severe weather caused by the passage of Storm Charles, 11 November 2026. (EPA)
Heavy machinery clears the debris from a landslide along the Marocos road in Machico municipality, on the Portuguese island of Madeira, due to severe weather caused by the passage of Storm Charles, 11 November 2026. (EPA)
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Portugal Closes All Schools and Non-Essential Services Ahead of a Major Atlantic Storm

Heavy machinery clears the debris from a landslide along the Marocos road in Machico municipality, on the Portuguese island of Madeira, due to severe weather caused by the passage of Storm Charles, 11 November 2026. (EPA)
Heavy machinery clears the debris from a landslide along the Marocos road in Machico municipality, on the Portuguese island of Madeira, due to severe weather caused by the passage of Storm Charles, 11 November 2026. (EPA)

Portugal closed all schools and shuttered non-essential public services on Wednesday as a major Atlantic storm headed for the country's mainland.

Streets remained largely deserted ahead of the arrival of Storm Charles after the government told people to stay at home as heavy rain and rough seas were expected to batter the Portuguese coast, with wind gusts of up to 140 kph (85 mph).

It was the first time in living memory that Portugal’s roughly 8,000 schools had canceled classes nationwide over a storm forecast.

Buses without passengers drove through the country's capital, Lisbon, where some streets flooded due to clogged drains. A national supermarket chain closed its stores, while an international technology conference in Lisbon attended by around 70,000 people called off the day's events.

In January, the country's center-right government faced harsh criticism for its weak response when Storm Kristin hit central Portugal, felling thousands of trees and causing widespread property damage that is still being repaired.

The brunt of Storm Charles was expected to hit the Atlantic coast on Wednesday afternoon and evening, coming from the southwest after it had struck the Portuguese island of Madeira on Tuesday with 130 kph (81 mph) winds.