The Kuwait Oil Company is undertaking a large-scale project to restore vegetation cover in northern and southern Kuwait. The project is part of the Kuwait Environmental Rehabilitation Program, which aims to improve the environment and reduce the effects of climate change. The company issued a tender in January 2023 for companies to market its soil rehabilitation project. The tender was conducted through the Central Agency for Public Tenders, and is expected to be awarded to the winning companies by the third or fourth quarter of 2023. The project is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2029.
Al-Qabas daily reported that the company aims to rehabilitate the environment through the Kuwait Environmental Rehabilitation Program (KERP), which aims to clean up and restore the environment that was damaged during the Gulf War. The company also participates in an UN-backed initiative to afforest many areas in the country. In addition, KOC launched the national initiative to support the desertification program, which aims to make Kuwait green. The Vegetation Restoration Project aims to plant and rehabilitate damaged terrestrial ecosystems in Kuwait. The project will establish new plant soils to restore and enhance biodiversity and natural plant coverage. This will create a favorable environment for many plant and animal species, and help achieve environmental recovery and ecosystem balance in Kuwait. The project will also help preserve existing natural resources and enhance their sustainability. All the projects fall within the scope of the strategic plans and as part of the United Nations’ sustainable development goals.
Moreover, the North and South Kuwait Vegetation Restoration Project aims to restore the vegetation of approximately 42 square kilometers of land within KOC areas in North and South Kuwait, by planting 9.46 million local desert plants. The project is divided into four different areas, which will be delivered by four contractors. The first two areas are located in northern Kuwait, covering a total area of 13.1 square kilometers. The third and fourth areas are located in southern Kuwait, covering a total area of approximately 28.9 square kilometers. In addition to the four main areas, the project will also include an area covering approximately 3.46 square kilometers along Mina Abdullah – Wafra Road (Road 306) in southern Kuwait. The project will also include a nursery for local plants, estimated at 300 square meters, located in Ahmadi.
The Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, the Environment Public Authority, the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources, and the Kuwaiti Focal Point agreed on the plant selection, which includes eight types of shrubs, two types of herbaceous plants and other trees. KOC confirmed that the projects of re-greening Kuwait and providing plant diversity will contribute to providing a range of environmental services, such as finding solutions to control sand desertification in areas prone to sandstorms and dust, combating the negative effects of climate change, preserving biodiversity, and re-promoting wildlife.
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