Shorouk Awad (Dubai)
Ibrahim Al Jamali, Director of the Marine Environment Research Center Department at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, confirmed the continuity of implementing six programs for planting mangroves in the UAE, in line with national and international priorities, and to achieve two main goals, namely, expanding the mangrove forests in various parts of the country. The state, and to enhance the UAE’s ambition to achieve its goal of increasing mangrove trees from 30 million to 100 million trees by 2030.
In statements to Al-Ittihad, Al-Jamali indicated that the six programs were divided into 3 programs implemented by the ministry as a federal entity concerned with implementing the state’s directions in everything related to environmental affairs and its components, which are: “Preventing the deterioration of biodiversity and protecting its habitats”, and “Protecting mangroves from dangers.” such as extinction”, “protecting many land and marine areas and declaring them natural reserves to preserve the biodiversity of mangroves”, and 3 other programs implemented by the competent local authorities, namely: the program for the protection of mangrove forests and reserves, including the various types of birds and fish they contain, stopping all types of hunting in them, and designating Observers throughout the day to implement it, the program to rehabilitate the affected areas through planting mangroves, and the program to launch initiatives directed at individuals, to establish awareness of the importance of preserving the environment and the mangrove.
Increase the green area
The Director of the Marine Environment Research Center at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment indicated that the first main objective of the programs was based on several axes, namely the rehabilitation of coastal and marine areas, raising the efficiency of habitats, increasing the area of green spaces, and enriching biodiversity in various parts of the country, as the Ministry seeks to achieve Several strategic goals, the most important of which are achieving the sustainability of natural systems, preserving biodiversity, and reducing the repercussions of climate change, thus contributing to providing a safe haven for distinctive biodiversity, and reducing the rates of greenhouse gases emitted into the air through the absorption and storage of carbon dioxide. The competent local authorities, through the above-mentioned target, aim to achieve a set of goals, including promoting the preservation of marine biodiversity in each emirate separately and ensuring its sustainability by providing natural habitats, and contributing to reducing the causes of climate change and air pollution by absorbing and storing carbon, in addition to enhancing the aesthetic appearance. to coastal areas and support efforts to promote eco-tourism in various parts of the country.
Emirates ambition
And about the second goal of the programs? He said: “The ministry and the competent local authorities seek to continue working on the programs for mangroves, and work to develop them periodically in accordance with future developments in this aspect, as a result of their awareness of the importance of the contribution of such programs to achieving the ambition of the UAE, which was previously announced in the second report of contributions. Nationally determined in accordance with the Paris Climate Agreement, which is to increase the number of mangrove trees from 30 million to 100 million trees by 2030,” referring to the UAE’s keenness to take advantage of nature-based solutions to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change, and within the 2050 Climate Neutrality Initiative, it has Her Excellency Maryam bint Mohammed Al Muhairi announced during the COP26 Leaders’ Summit on Forests and Land Use that the country’s target for planting mangroves had been raised, and with the addition of 100 million mangrove trees, the total area of mangrove forests would reach no less than 483 square kilometers, which in turn would contribute to capturing mangrove trees. At least 115,000 tons – approximately – annually of carbon dioxide.
4 times growth
Al Jamali pointed out that the most important results of the study recently carried out by the Ministry were the mangrove trees covering about 183 square kilometers (18,300 hectares) of the country’s area during the current year (2021), of which 15,500 hectares (155 square kilometers) are in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, while The remaining 2,800 hectares (28 square kilometers) are distributed over the northern regions. The results also revealed that most of the mangrove forests in the country enjoy good health and density, where their spread has now witnessed a remarkable increase by 3 to 4 times the area it was in the seventies of the last century. The presence of only one species on a large scale, gray mangrove, in addition to its presence in many reserves of the state, such as Ras Al Khor, Eastern Mangroves, Al Hafiya, Al-Zawra, Marawah and Bu Al-Sayyif.
Crimea benefits
Al Jamali explained that the mangrove forests are habitats for many marine species, and represent important sites for spawning and feeding important fish, in addition to protecting the beaches from coastal erosion, pointing out that these forests, which cover thousands of hectares of land along the UAE coastline, have become an integral part of It is an integral part of coastal ecosystems that provide the community with multiple services and goods through biological resources and recreational uses. It also forms the basis for the natural and cultural heritage of the citizens of the country, in addition to its role and contribution to climate change adaptation through its storage of blue carbon.
Challenges and solutions
Al Jamali stressed that the UAE was also aware of the issue of challenges facing mangroves, such as urban sprawl, pollution of coastal ecosystems, climate change, logging and unsustainable tourism activities, so it enacted laws to protect them from threats, such as Federal Law 24 issued in 1999, regarding the protection and development of the environment, which prevents cutting Mangroves, indicating that the state has taken, during the past years, many measures to prevent the deterioration of biodiversity and protect species and their habitats, as it has issued a number of legislation and laws to preserve them. Protecting endangered or endangered plant species with equal attention to mangrove trees, in addition to protecting many land and marine areas and declaring them natural reserves to preserve biodiversity, stressing the continuity of the state in implementing these programs and working to develop and improve them in line with national and international priorities.
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