Abu Dhabi plants 44 million mangrove trees since 2020

The effort is part of the emirate's initiative to plant 100 million mangroves by 2030

Jubail Mangrove Park between Al Saadiyat Island and Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Abu Dhabi Environment Agency has completed 44 per cent of its programme to plant 100 million mangrove trees by the year 2030.

The goal was set to help the emirate to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

Forty-four million of the trees have been planted since 2020, 23 million of them over the last two years. This would cover 9,200 hectares.

The initiative supports the Abu Dhabi Climate Change Strategy, which seeks to speed up the preservation and restoration of mangrove ecosystems.

These trees are expected to help store approximately 233,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually, which is equivalent to the energy consumption of more than 25,000 homes.

“The tireless efforts made by Abu Dhabi to plant and preserve mangrove trees are a continuation of the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed in enhancing and sustaining coastal ecosystems,” said Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed, chairman of the board of directors at the agency.

“Mangroves are among the most productive coastal ecosystems in the world, and they play a very important role because they provide a variety of environmental and economic services.

“In addition to the role of mangrove trees in adapting to climate change and reducing its effects, by capturing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, they are considered one of the essential ecosystems for the life of many marine organisms, including those at risk of extinction.”

In September, the UAE endorsed calls for a $4 billion investment by 2030 to conserve mangroves around the world.

The announcement came after the UAE supported the Mangrove Breakthrough initiative, which aims to restore and protect 15 million hectares of mangroves globally by 2030.

Studies conducted by the agency have shown that mangrove trees in Abu Dhabi can store carbon at a rate of 0.5 tonnes per hectare per year, sequestering at least 8,800 tonnes of carbon annually.