By Ahmed Al Hashmi, Executive Director of Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity Sector at the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi
After 2023 was announced as the ‘Year of Sustainability’ by our President of the UAE, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and with the nation gearing up to host the world’s largest climate forum – COP28 – in Dubai at Expo City, the community is very much interested about the same important topic - mangroves.
Mangroves in the UAE and Abu Dhabi play a dual role as nature-based solutions that can help combat climate change and preserve nature, contributing to climate adaptation. This is due to their remarkable ability to absorb – or to use the correct technical term, sequester – carbon so that it does not enter the atmosphere and heat up the planet.
If you drive through Abu Dhabi you will see that the island’s coastline is dotted with millions of mangroves. This is because mangrove restoration in Abu Dhabi dates back to before the 1970s, making the Emirate one of the pioneers in the rehabilitation of these valuable ecosystems.
Sheikh Zayed’s Legacy
The late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, founder of the UAE and also known as the First Environmentalist in the country, cared deeply about the marine and coastal environment, initiating the first mangrove plantations along the coasts of the islands and mainland of Abu Dhabi Emirate. Using knowledge of local communities and his foresight, Sheikh Zayed advised on, and supervised mangrove restoration projects.
For Sheikh Zayed, the mangrove tree held huge value and he directed the Emirate’s plantation efforts with great interest and passion. The first mangrove restoration project in the UAE was located along the eastern corniche, where natural patches of mangroves already existed and the coastal conditions made it suitable for further planting.
This patch of mangrove forest in the east of Abu Dhabi was the first to be intentionally planted in the UAE in 1966. Over the following decades this practice was expanded along the UAE’s coast, with particular success in sheltered locations adjacent to existing stands.
Continuing his legacy, today the UAE greatly values mangroves as a critical coastal and blue carbon ecosystem. Their role in sequestering carbon and in climate change mitigation and adaptation is considered crucial and is being continuously researched and studied.
Mangrove restoration has continued throughout the UAE and in Abu Dhabi, where the extent of both natural and planted mangroves remains the largest in the country.
What makes mangroves critical for nature and climate?
There are 70-75 different species of mangroves globally in tropical and subtropical regions. Abu Dhabi has one species of mangrove commonly known as the Grey mangrove (Avicennia marina), locally known as ‘Qurm’ that grows along the shorelines and backwaters of mainland and island coasts. The dense and complex root structure of old natural stands provides a rich environment for fish and other species.
Mangroves have developed very distinct adaptations that allow them to cope under stressful conditions. They exhibit a wide range of survival methods and have a well-developed mechanism for salt exclusion, ion-regulation, photosynthesis and nutrient uptake.
Threats to mangroves include coastal development, landfilling, dredging, and reclamation, which removes mangroves or alters the hydrodynamic regime in a coastal area. Vessel speeds in mangrove areas may lead to increased erosion if not well regulated.
Why mangrove conservation is our priority
As I said at the beginning of this article, mangrove forests are among the most efficient natural systems at absorbing and storing carbon from the atmosphere. Once the leaves and older trees fall to the seafloor, they take with them the stored carbon which is then buried in the soil. This buried carbon is known as “blue carbon” because it is stored underwater in coastal ecosystems like mangrove forests, seagrass beds and salt marshes.
In the UAE, mangroves have been shown to be key blue carbon ecosystems. The levels of carbon sequestration in mangrove soils regionally are much higher compared to soils in arid regions, amplifying the importance of protecting these valuable coastal ecosystems to ensure no carbon is released back into the atmosphere. This is why, in Abu Dhabi Emirate, the government has set a target of protecting all critical marine and terrestrial habitats and ensuring no further loss.
It is interesting to note that carbon sequestration rates found in the UAE are relatively higher compared to other reported rates around the Arabian Peninsula. Studies conducted us at EAD reveal the ability of mangroves in Abu Dhabi to store carbon at a rate of 0.5 tonnes per hectare annually, which is equivalent to 8,750 tonnes at the emirate level, and to the energy consumption of 1,000 homes per year.
Currently we have an estimated 176 sqkm of both planted and mature mangroves in Abu Dhabi Emirate which equates to 17,600 hectares of mangroves. That would roughly mean 3 million tonnes of carbon currently stored by mangroves in Abu Dhabi. This is equivalent to the estimated carbon emissions of 1.3 million round trip flights from Abu Dhabi to London, and is equivalent to the energy consumption of 1000 houses per year.
For all blue carbon ecosystems in Abu Dhabi (saltmarsh, mangroves, seagrass, sabkha and algal mats) the total stored carbon was estimated at 41 million tonnes, the equivalent of the annual emissions of 8.9 million standard cars.
EAD strives for holistic ecosystem conservation and restoration, looking at protecting and restoring not just mangroves but all interconnected coastal and marine habitats. If you have ever visited a mangrove area in Abu Dhabi, you will notice that they are almost always associated with saltmarsh communities and microbial mats, and nearby in shallow waters there might be seagrass meadows and coral reefs that are somehow dependent on the function of healthy nearby intertidal habitats.
This is why our approach is that of integrated seascape conservation which takes into account that habitats and species are all interlinked and need each other to thrive and function. To summarise, it is not just about mangroves, but the entire coastal ecosystem that deserves our attention and investment.
Let’s Talk About Abu Dhabi
With regards to Abu Dhabi, the mangrove cover has increased by 92% between 1987 and 2022. Abu Dhabi’s mangroves are found in intertidal areas and sheltered lagoons and the emirate has the largest mangrove habitat extent in the UAE, with the majority found along Abu Dhabi’s eastern coast.
Abu Dhabi’s mangroves provide key critical habitats for juvenile fish, invertebrates as well as migratory and resident waterbirds. There are at least 74 species of birds reported living among Abu Dhabi’s mangroves.
Despite not having rivers which generate freshwater inflow and river deltas, mangroves still grow in Abu Dhabi. Its mangroves grow in high temperatures and high salinity in comparison to other countries such as Bangladesh and Indonesia, where mangroves grow in 30 C and salinity levels of 32 ppt (parts-per-thousand) in river deltas.
Mangroves have proven popular with tourists, and Mangrove National Park and Jubail Mangrove Park in Abu Dhabi attracting thousands of visitors every year, helping to raise awareness about the need to protect mangrove ecosystems.
Abu Dhabi Mangrove Initiative
During COP26 in Glasgow, the UAE announced a nationwide plan to plant 100 million mangroves by 2030. Additionally, in February of 2022, Abu Dhabi set out ambitious plans to establish the emirate as a global hub for mangrove conservation, research and innovation through the Abu Dhabi Mangrove Initiative (ADMI).
This was announced during HRH Prince William, the Prince of Wales and Duke of Cambridge’s, landmark visit to the UAE where he met His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Office, at Jubail Mangrove Park. This initiative is an extension of the Blue Carbon project, focusing on the importance of mangroves’ carbon sequestration properties to combat climate change and the critical role they play in supporting biodiversity.
The ADMI is being implemented by EAD, and the Agency has already secured its first partnerships with the Zoological Society of London, the Jubail Island Investment Company, Mubadala Energy, with other local and global partnerships underway soon.
The initiative aims to act as an umbrella for all mangrove research and restoration activities in the emirate. At least 12 ADMI outreach programmes were organised since 2022, involving stakeholders from both the government and the private sector. The programme included mangrove restoration at Jubail, ‘and several presentations on the benefits of mangroves and the importance of their conservation.
In addition, as part of the initiative, EAD is working in collaboration with its partners to develop a state-of-the-art educational nursery and innovation center at Jubail Island that will become a platform for learning and research.
Since its launch in 2022, the ADMI has brought together multiple stakeholders to raise awareness on the need for mangrove protection and restoration; these partners have included Jubail Island Investment Company, Mubadala Energy, the Dawoodi Bohra communities, the Department of Energy, ADNOC, Swim 62, youth groups, the British Embassy, the Embassy of the Philippines, and the European Union Commission Ambassadors, along with many more.
ADMI serves as a local, regional and international hub for all elements of mangrove research and conservation, including restoration, and will bring together international, regional and national researchers and stakeholders through workshops, conferences and trainings.
The Innovative Planting of Mangroves by Drones
We are always striving to use innovative and pioneering technology in all our restoration programmes and, as a result, we have witnessed great success and cost efficiency.
Together with our partners, custom-built drones have planted 1 million mangrove seeds which were propagated across an area of approximately 4 square kilometres. The germinated mangroves are currently being monitored for their survival rates.
Drones are flown over suitable intertidal areas and healthy seeds are released. This is a very cost-effective solution in comparison to highly expensive, traditional nursery-grown sapling planting. Due to the reduced cost, EAD can monitor and replant seeds over different sites. Drone dispersal also allows us to reach remote areas, and reduce the overall footprint at the site.
Ghars Al Emarat
To conclude, one of our most exciting mangrove restoration initiatives is ‘Ghars Al Emarat’ which is under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of EAD. It involves the planting of 10 mangroves for each visitor to COP28 to contribute to enhancing nature-based solutions to climate change and enhance science-based ecologically driven mangrove restoration across the Emirate. This is just an example of one of our mangrove missions – of which there are several.
If we continue at the successful rate we are going so far, I am sure we will achieve our national goals and our emirate level goals of restoring mangroves across the Emirate and ensuring no further loss of mangrove ecosystems.
Most importantly, we call on everyone to join the Abu Dhabi Mangrove Initiative Partnership programme, to learn about and value our mangroves and coastal ecosystems and contribute to their conservation and restoration, so that together, we can achieve greater climate resilience and ensure our precious natural heritage is sustained well into the future.