RIYADH — Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, stressed in a keynote speech he delivered during the sessions of the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) forum here Saturday that Saudi Arabia's launch of SGI and the Middle East Green Initiative contributes to building a sustainable and productive future, indicating that the Kingdom's global leadership in the transition to renewable energy is essential.

He said that this motivates everyone to see this diversity in the energy mix, noting that the initiative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is exceptional globally.

In this regard, he cited the Kingdom's plan to plant billions of trees that, he said, would have a transformative effect for the benefit of future generations, such as this initiative launched by the Kingdom.

He added that the coronavirus pandemic proved to the whole world the importance of value of human health, the economic and social significance and the health of the planet, which, he described as primarily related, indicating that the world now foresees hope to accelerate a green recovery, while establishing foundations for a sustainable future.

The Prince of Wales also stressed that the temperatures experienced by some regions, especially in the Middle East, require dealing with them seriously to have a significant positive impact on the ecosystem, by increasing the supply of water and energy and investing the huge renewable energy potentials available in the region.

These include solar, wind and green energies, and carbon dioxide retention and storage, core subjects of the current Saudi Green Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative. — SG