Dubai Announces Plan to Plant 3.5 Million Trees by 2040

Dubai has announced a plan to plant approximately 3.5 million trees and expand its green cover to 187 square kilometres by 2040, as revealed by Marwan bin Ghalita, Director General of Dubai Municipality, during a session at the Mohammed bin Rashid Leadership Forum.

The details were released on Tue 13 Oct 2026, 10:00 PM.

Green Expansion Targets

The plan also sets a target of 11 square metres of green space for each resident and aims to attract 95 million visits each year to parks and recreational facilities across the emirate.

Leadership Forum Highlights

At the forum, Marwan bin Ghalita was presented with the Mohammed bin Rashid Leadership Medal in recognition of his work to empower the next generation of leaders.

Minister of Cabinet Affairs Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gergawi received the Mohammed bin Rashid Sash for more than three decades of dedication.

The session carried the title ‘Dubai Municipality and Life in Dubai 2033’ and brought together 1,000 government and private‑sector leaders, senior decision‑makers, global experts and academics to discuss leadership and management practices.

His remarks were delivered in a virtual dialogue with ‘Saeed’, the municipality’s AI‑powered virtual media spokesperson.

Future Urban Priorities

Bin Ghalita stressed that Dubai’s skill in anticipating future needs has set it apart as a model city, saying, “Swift decision‑making, the ability to understand and anticipate the future, and transform needs and challenges into exceptional projects are what have distinguished Dubai as a model city of the future,” he said.

Other elements of the 2040 roadmap include the annual inspection of more than 577,000 food consignments, the adoption of modern smart construction techniques in 40 percent of new buildings by 2033, and a goal to divert all waste from landfills.

He added that digital twins and artificial intelligence will be used to improve urban planning and city management.

Infrastructure and Resilience

The announcement coincided with Dubai being named the world’s cleanest city for the sixth straight year, a reflection of its sustained investment in sustainable infrastructure and resident wellbeing.

Infrastructure resilience remains a parallel priority, with the Dh30 billion Tasreef project designed to increase rainwater drainage capacity by 700 percent, enabling the system to handle more than 20 million cubic metres of water each day once completed.

Concluding his talk, Bin Ghalita reaffirmed the municipality’s commitment to anticipate and meet evolving needs, stating, “We remain committed to anticipating and meeting people’s evolving needs, ensuring that Dubai continues to be the world’s best city to live, work and visit,” he said.