A new ecological report has identified 18 key coastal marine vegetation areas in the UAE for their critical ability to absorb greenhouse gases and improve water quality.

 

An abundance of mangroves and seagrass areas known in scientific parlance as Blue Carbon areas need to be conserved and studied if the UAE is to stave off surging carbon monoxide levels and impending climate change, said the report.

 

Described as national treasures, the mangroves of the UAE were identified across three key areas in the Sea of Oman (Kalba) of Sharjah emirate (four), in the Arabian Gulf of the northern emirates (six) and in the Abu Dhabi emirate (eight).

 

The report was launched at the 11th edition of the Ecocity World Summit 2015 on Monday in Abu Dhabi by the Ministry of Environment and Water in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative (AGEDI) and Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD).

 

 

PHOTO: It is estimated that the mangrove swamps in the UAE offset about 600,000 kilograms of carbon per hectare.

CREDIT: Sarah Dea / The National.