Osaka: Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve Development Authority (IARDA) Chief Executive Dr. Talal Al-Hariqi participated in a panel titled 'Protecting Saudi Arabia's Natural Environment and Species' at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. The participation forms part of the Kingdom's participation in the expo through the Saudi Green Initiative.
According to Saudi Press Agency, during the panel, Al-Hariqi highlighted the Kingdom's inspiring success story in protecting its unique desert ecosystems and transforming the challenges of arid environments into opportunities to enhance sustainability and international cooperation. He emphasized that this approach reflects the commitment to preserving biodiversity and protecting wildlife under Saudi Vision 2030.
Al-Hariqi stated that Saudi Arabia's desert ecosystems are characterized by rich biodiversity, a unique cultural heritage, and an exceptional ability to adapt to harsh desert conditions. He underscored that the network of royal reserves, under the supervision of the Council of Royal Reserves chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, aims to conserve this biodiversity. The network is committed to ensuring the sustainability of preservation efforts in cooperation with local communities, and in line with Saudi Vision 2030 and the Saudi Green Initiative.
Al-Hariqi highlighted that promoting sustainable livelihoods forms a cornerstone of conservation efforts by encouraging environmentally friendly activities such as beekeeping and cultivating medicinal and aromatic plants, thereby linking biodiversity preservation with the economic benefits of local communities while maintaining the principles of sustainability.