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Over 95 Million Trees Planted Across the Kingdom Since Launch of Saudi Green Initiative

One of the mountainous areas located in the south of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (File/Asharq Al-Awsat)
One of the mountainous areas located in the south of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (File/Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Over 95 Million Trees Planted Across the Kingdom Since Launch of Saudi Green Initiative

One of the mountainous areas located in the south of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (File/Asharq Al-Awsat)
One of the mountainous areas located in the south of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (File/Asharq Al-Awsat)

The National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC) has said that collaboration with government, private, and non-profit partners has contributed to successfully planting over 95 million trees throughout the Kingdom since the launch of the Saudi Green Initiative in 2021.
These efforts have helped rehabilitate 111,000 hectares of degraded vegetation cover, and protect 4.3 million hectares of land currently undergoing rehabilitation. Moreover, 7.1 million cases of natural vegetation regeneration have been recorded, demonstrating significant progress toward increasing the Kingdom’s vegetation cover, according to SPA.
So far, 121 public, private, and non-profit sector partners have contributed to greening efforts, reflecting a commitment to achieving shared national goals, and successful partnerships in the afforestation efforts, in line with the targets of the Saudi Green Initiative and Vision 2030. These efforts contribute to reducing carbon emissions, improving the quality of life, and mitigating the impacts of climate change.
NCVC is actively involved in protecting, monitoring, and rehabilitating vegetation cover, addressing violations, combating illegal logging, and managing rangelands, forests, and national parks sustainably. These endeavors are essential to fostering a thriving and sustainable vegetation cover for future generations.

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October’s Supermoon Pairs with a Comet for a Special Nighttime Spectacle

The moon rises behind the lighthouse at the harbor of Travemuende, northern Germany, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (AP)
The moon rises behind the lighthouse at the harbor of Travemuende, northern Germany, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (AP)
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October’s Supermoon Pairs with a Comet for a Special Nighttime Spectacle

The moon rises behind the lighthouse at the harbor of Travemuende, northern Germany, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (AP)
The moon rises behind the lighthouse at the harbor of Travemuende, northern Germany, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (AP)

October's supermoon is the closest of the year and it's teaming up with a comet for a rare stargazing two-for-one.

The third of four supermoons this year, it will be 222,055 miles (357,364 kilometers) away Wednesday night, making it seem even bigger and brighter than in August and September. It will reach its full lunar phase Thursday.

In a twist of cosmic fate, a comet is in the neighborhood. Discovered last year, comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas is now prominent in the Northern Hemisphere after wowing stargazers in the Southern Hemisphere.

The moonlight will wash out some of the comet’s tail, but it’s still worth a look after sunset, said NASA's Bill Cooke.

“Most astronomers hate the full moon because its bright light messes up observing other objects. So it’s a bit hard for us to wax poetic about it even if it’s the biggest supermoon of 2024,” he said in an email.

Better catch the comet; it may never return. But don't fret if you miss Thursday's supermoon. The fourth and final supermoon of the year will rise on Nov. 15.

What makes a moon so super? More a popular term than a scientific one, a supermoon occurs when a full lunar phase syncs up with an especially close swing around Earth. This usually happens only three or four times a year and consecutively, given the moon’s constantly shifting, oval-shaped orbit.

A supermoon obviously isn’t bigger, but it can appear that way, although scientists say the difference can be barely perceptible.

How do supermoons compare? There’s a quartet of supermoons this year.

The one in August was 224,917 miles (361,970 kilometers) away. September's was nearly 3,000 miles (4,484 kilometers) closer the night of Sept. 17 into the following morning. A partial lunar eclipse also unfolded that night, visible in much of the Americas, Africa and Europe as Earth’s shadow fell on the moon, resembling a small bite.

October's supermoon is the year’s closest at 222,055 miles (357,364 kilometers) from Earth, followed by the November supermoon at a distance of 224,853 miles (361,867 kilometers).

What’s in it for me? Scientists point out that only the keenest observers can discern the subtle differences. It’s easier to detect the change in brightness — a supermoon can be 30% brighter than average.

With the US and other countries ramping up lunar exploration with landers and eventually astronauts, the moon beckons brighter than ever.