As part of the Ghars Al Emarat (UAE Planting) initiative to plant 10 mangroves for each visitor to COP28, which was held from November 30 to December 12, 2023 at Expo City Dubai, the Environment Agency–Abu Dhabi (EAD) announced that it has planted 850,000 mangrove trees along Abu Dhabi’s coastal areas.
The mangrove trees were planted in locations that offered the most suitable environments for growth, such as Marawah Marine Biosphere Reserve, Al Mirfa city, and Jubail Island, and will help absorb 170 tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere annually.
The Agency announced the initiative on the occasion of the country’s hosting of COP28. The initiative pledged to plant 10 mangrove trees for every visitor to the conference, using innovative methods, such as drone seeding. The rate of carbon uptake by trees is estimated at one tonne per 5,000 mangroves. This initiative reinforces the UAE’s commitment to achieving climate neutrality and promoting the adoption of nature-based solutions to reduce the effects of climate change.
The Ghars Al Emarat Initiative, created within the framework of the Abu Dhabi Climate Change Strategy, also supports the Abu Dhabi Mangrove Initiative, launched in February 2022, at Jubail Mangrove Park. It was founded to provide a platform for developing innovative mangrove planting solutions, and contribute to mitigating the effects of climate change, while raising awareness of mangroves’ importance and the necessity of restoring them. The initiative also enhanced the emirate’s position as a leading global centre for mangrove conservation research and innovation.
Ghars Al Emarat also supports the 13th United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) related to “Climate Action”, which calls for urgent steps to address climate change and adapt to its effects, as well as national initiatives, including the UAE Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative, which is in line with the UAE’s goal of planting 100 million mangrove trees by 2030.
Mangroves cover about 176 square kilometres across Abu Dhabi Emirate, equivalent to 17,600 hectares (11,200 hectares of natural trees and 6,400 hectares of planted trees), with 2,441,600 tonnes of carbon stored by natural mangroves and 676,480 tonnes by planted trees. This means that more than 3 million tonnes of carbon are currently stored by mangroves in Abu Dhabi.
As well as mitigating climate change, mangroves help adapt to the challenge, stabilising coasts, protecting against the impact of storms, and reducing coastal erosion. These natural systems protect infrastructure and communities located along the coast. By protecting and restoring mangrove ecosystems, EAD strengthens nature’s resilience and reduces the impact of climate change on communities.