Chaired by the Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative (AGEDI), the Arabian Blue Forests Working Group has been formed with the aim of advancing collaborative research and enhancing regional awareness around the important value of carbon found in natural marine and coastal environments such as mangrove forests – also referred to as ‘blue carbon’. The Group will also facilitate cross-border knowledge and understanding within the region, as well as the wider international community.
When blue carbon ecosystems are managed well, they can support climate change mitigation efforts by actively sequestering carbon from the atmosphere and providing natural carbon storage in the plants and soil. Coastal ecosystems such as mangroves, tidal marshes and seagrass meadows sequester and store more carbon per unit area than terrestrial forests. They also play a vital role in providing coastal protection and food security for many communities globally.
The Working Group Governing Secretariat includes the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), the Regional Organisation for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden (PERSGA), the Regional Organisation for Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME), Emirates Nature-WWF, Five Oceans Environmental Services LLC and AGEDI.
Discussions during the Group’s inaugural meeting revolved around ways to strengthen the potential for knowledge sharing on global and regional blue carbon activities, as well as to advance blue carbon work already being carried out in the Arabian Peninsula.
Some of the work already being carried out in the Arabian Peninsula in this field has been led by AGEDI. Their Abu Dhabi Blue Carbon Demonstration project, for the first time, determined that an estimated 41 million tonnes of carbon dioxide are sequestered by blue carbon ecosystems such as mangroves, seagrass, algae mats, salt flats, etc. in the emirate, helping Abu Dhabi gain a better understanding.
“The UAE is home to several blue carbon ecosystems including our mangrove forests, salt marshes and seagrass beds that we share with other countries in the Gulf,” said Ahmed Baharoon, AGEDI’s Acting Director.
“Dedicated actions to conserve and sustainably manage these natural environments can ensure that they continue to play a long-term role in our collective efforts to protect and preserve the planet. The outcomes of the Arabian Blue Forests Working Group will allow us to gain clearer insight into effective regional blue carbon management, which may be used to advise global, regional and national level climate action policies, together with our partners,” Baharoon added.
The members of the Working Group also agreed to support efforts to share best practice, methodologies and data between regional practitioners, produce peer-reviewed research and reporting and facilitate capacity building for regional experts.