UAE to plant 10 mangrove trees for each COP28 participant

The COP28 climate summit will make the UAE even greener as the Abu Dhabi government has pledged to plant 10 mangrove trees for each conference attendee. This initiative will reduce the carbon footprint of summit attendees, as it is estimated that 5,000 mangrove trees absorb one tonne of carbon dioxide.

More than 70,000 people are expected to attend the event, which will take place from 30 November to 12 December in Dubai. The climate change conference will thus make the UAE 700,000 mangrove trees greener.

The programme will be implemented by the Abu Dhabi Environment Agency (EAD). The mangroves will be planted using innovative methods such as drones. The planting will take place in the last quarter of 2023, which is the most favourable time for planting mangrove trees. Target areas include Marawah Marine Reserve, Al Mirfa town and Jubail Island, where native mangrove forests thrive.

Dr Shaikha Salem Al Daheri, secretary general of EAD, said the initiative supports the UAE’s main goal of planting 100 million mangrove trees by 2030.

Mangrove forests are one of the most important coastal ecosystems in the world as they help mitigate climate change, absorb greenhouse gases, and can store and sequester carbon dioxide. They also play an important role in protecting coral reefs, improving water quality and attracting ecotourists.

Razan Al Mubarak, UN climate change representative at COP28, explained that building a sustainable, zero-emission future depends on restoring our natural ecosystems. He also added that he fully supports the UAE’s intention to restore mangrove forests, making our planet a little cleaner.

Source: Khaleej Times

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