The United Arab Emirates is making strides to reduce carbon emissions in the atmosphere.
One of their initiatives is planting mangroves to absorb carbon from the atmosphere.
Executive Director of Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity Sector and Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi, Ahmed Alhashmi, says mangroves absorb 41-million tons of carbon annually in the oil rich Emirates, which is more than the country’s annual emissions from the oil and gas industry and from the water and electricity sectors.
Twenty million mangroves have been planted across the Abu Dhabi Emirate’s coastal areas.
This has been done since the 1980s.
The Emirates plans to plant at least 2-million mangroves each year in line with its aim to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
Alhashmi says there are many benefits supplied by these trees in the Emirates.
“Mangroves are one of the most beautiful species, have a lot of secrets and a lot of interest recently. They are supporting the wildlife, the environment that we have. They are contributing to the war, water quality, the air quality, supporting the wildlife, with the shelter, supporting them with food, with nutrients. And that’s why not only as a human, we are enjoying the many growth, but also the different. Species from bears, from fish and invertebrates. They are contributing a lot to the carbon cycle as they have the capability to sequester the carbon from the atmosphere.”
These mangroves cost the Emirates next to nothing due to their ability to grow on their own without having to be maintained.
Alhashmi adds, “The most important information we need to know what about money growth? They don’t need a lot of interfere and maintenance, so their maintenance. Cost is up to zero because they don’t need a freshwater. They don’t need you to come with fertilizers for them. So, once you plant them, that’s it. they utilize their water, they utilize their resources, they select the nutrients and then they are very well adapted and then they can grow up to here to 8 meters. Without any interfering. This is very effective for us, and that’s why we are supporting of greening our area by planting the money growth mainly with our environment is very hot, the salinity is high, however those. which is able and capable to adapt themselves and also the marine organisms surrounding them to live within this environment and to survive and to enjoy their life.”
The system of planting Mangroves to absorb emissions in the air is also recognised by the World Economic Forum.
The Emirates says it is finding new ways to plant mangroves through the use of technology in efforts to reach its 2030/2050 climate goals.
