RIYADH: Al-Baha Green Initiative, implemented by Al-Baha Region Municipality, which has generated more than SR25 million ($6.7 million), has taken first place at the the sixth Gulf Cooperation Council Municipal Work Award.

The initiative was recognized for expanding vegetation cover, advancing community participation, upgrading the urban landscape and driving environmental sustainability, the municipality said.

“The Al-Baha Green Initiative achieves economic returns exceeding SR25 million and has been crowned with the first place in the GCC Municipal Work Award 2025-2026 in an achievement that embodies the impact of volunteer work and community partnerships in enhancing environmental sustainability,” it said.

Al-Baha Region Gov. Prince Hussam bin Saud bin Abdulaziz said that the achievement reflected the excellence of municipal work in the region and the municipality’s efforts to implement innovative initiatives that helped to improve the urban landscape, enhance quality of life and contribute to the objectives of the Saudi Green Initiative. 

He commended the efforts of the municipality and its staff, as well as the coordination among relevant entities, which contributed to the initiative’s success and achievement of its objectives.

The municipality built extensive cross-sector partnerships with local government bodies, non-profit organizations and community members to accelerate afforestation efforts and enhance quality of life across the region. 

The drive mobilized 10,150 volunteers, who provided a combined 84,500 hours of work, the Saudi Press Agency reported. 

It also established 151 partnership agreements and 70 memorandums of understanding, driving a 20 percent increase in the initiative’s social impact index.

To date the program has planted more than 1 million predominantly native trees, shrubs and flowers across 143 public parks and 52,000 trees to support the Saudi Green Initiative, creating more than 1.25 million sq. meters of green corridors along roads and walkways.

The initiative achieved a 20 percent reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions, enabled the annual sequestration of about 10,600 to 18,600 tons of carbon dioxide and improved regional air quality by 7 to 10 percent, reaching up to 20 percent near high-density green zones.

In resource management, the municipality achieved high water sustainability by covering 75 percent of irrigation needs with treated water and reducing freshwater usage by 40 percent through smart irrigation networks. 

These automated systems connect to a centralized asset management platform and environmental quality portal, enabling predictive maintenance and dynamic weather-based adjustments with 97 percent accuracy.

Al-Baha Mayor Ali Al-Sawat said that winning the GCC award reflected the productive cooperation between public entities, civic organizations and the local community. 

He said that the municipality remained committed to advancing sustainable initiatives that improve quality of life, optimize resource efficiency and support the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 and the Saudi Green Initiative.