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Alfadley: Saudi Arabia is Steadily Moving towards Planting 600 Million Trees by 2030

A planted field in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. (Photo: Reuters)
A planted field in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. (Photo: Reuters)
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Alfadley: Saudi Arabia is Steadily Moving towards Planting 600 Million Trees by 2030

A planted field in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. (Photo: Reuters)
A planted field in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. (Photo: Reuters)

Saudi Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, Eng. Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen Alfadley, took part in the third edition of the Saudi Green Initiative Forum, held concurrently with COP28 in Dubai.
Eng. Alfadley said that Saudi Arabia is steadily moving towards achieving the targets of the Saudi Green Initiative in planting around 600 million trees by 2030, and 10 billion trees across the Kingdom during the coming decades.

According to SPA, he clarified that the third edition of the Saudi Green Initiative Forum is to continue the achievements of past projects and initiatives initiated since the first edition in Riyadh.

The Saudi Green Initiative has 80 initiatives, and since its adoption, 43 of these initiatives have been launched to meet its primary objectives. Notably, 43.9 million trees have been planted across the Kingdom, and 940,000 hectares of degraded lands have been rehabilitated. Furthermore, a 300% increase in production capacity for reducing carbon emissions as well as the production capacity of renewable energy projects has exceeded 8 gigawatts.

He concluded that the Kingdom's strategy for afforestation is grounded in the principle of sustainability. The strategy focuses on utilizing renewable water sources. Additionally, the Kingdom aims to use cutting-edge technologies to enhance these initiatives.

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Japan's Osaka Bans Street Smoking Ahead of Expo 2025

People walk across the Ebisu bridge (C) into the Shinsaibashi-suji shopping street in central Osaka on January 18, 2025. (Photo by Richard A. Brooks / AFP)
People walk across the Ebisu bridge (C) into the Shinsaibashi-suji shopping street in central Osaka on January 18, 2025. (Photo by Richard A. Brooks / AFP)
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Japan's Osaka Bans Street Smoking Ahead of Expo 2025

People walk across the Ebisu bridge (C) into the Shinsaibashi-suji shopping street in central Osaka on January 18, 2025. (Photo by Richard A. Brooks / AFP)
People walk across the Ebisu bridge (C) into the Shinsaibashi-suji shopping street in central Osaka on January 18, 2025. (Photo by Richard A. Brooks / AFP)

The Japanese city of Osaka on Monday imposed a smoking ban on public streets as part of efforts to become more visitor-friendly ahead of this year's World Expo, Agence France Press reported.

Around 160 countries and regions are participating in Expo 2025, the latest edition of an event held every five years in different global locations.

"The World Expo begins in April. We want to welcome many people from all over the world, so we want to make Osaka a city where people feel safe with smoke-free streets," mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama said in early January.

Before Monday, smoking was banned in six zones including the area around Osaka station. This has been expanded to the whole city and violators face a fine of 1,000 yen ($6.40), AFP said.

Local regulations already ban smoking while walking in most places in Japan, but opposition from some lawmakers has prevented strict national laws.

From April, the wider Osaka region will prohibit smoking in eateries with seating areas larger than 30 square meters (320 square feet), although lighting up in a separate space, such as a smoking room, is allowed.

Current national laws ban smoking in establishments with dining areas over 100 square meters.

Expo 2025 has struggled with slow ticket sales and public concern over the construction budget.

About 7.5 million tickets had been sold by early January for the six-month event -- half the organizers’ target.

The capital outlawed smoking in all restaurants in 2018, in preparation for the Tokyo Olympics.

Smoking outdoors remains allowed in some Tokyo districts.

Japan's central and local governments earn a yearly total of around two trillion yen ($13 billion) in cigarette tax revenue.

The national government also owns a one-third stake in Japan Tobacco, the world's third largest tobacco company.

Tobacco use in Japan has been falling in line with a broader global trend, with the ratio of smokers standing at 15.7 percent in 2023.