The UAE’s The Storey Group (TSG) has launched an ambitious initiative to encourage the Emirates’ residents and corporates to come together to help plant one billion trees globally by 2026 in a transformational project designed to help offset the country’s carbon emissions.
After almost two years of intense research and development, TSG has teamed up with EcoMatcher, a certified social enterprise and the world’s first blockchain-enabled digital tree-planting platform, to launch the One Billion Trees Initiative (OBTI), which is aimed at capturing 250 billion kgs of carbon within a decade of planting the full tree complement.
"The world produces 51 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases every year. Decarbonisation is now the biggest challenge facing humanity. To reach zero, we need innovation, collaboration, and action. By helping to plant one billion trees by 2026 the UAE can play our part,” said Karen Storey, OBTI Founder & Project Director.
OBTI enables people to buy or gift trees, with each tree delivering an annual carbon sequestration of 25 kgs, or plant and name a forest of 1,000 trees or more. Trees will be planted around the world with locations in nine countries – Guatemala, Peru, Uganda, the UAE, India, Nepal, Thailand, Indonesia and The Philippines – with more to follow via a target of 20 NGO tree-planting partners by the end of this year.
Via the EcoMatcher App, tree ‘owners’ can track every tree’s performance from their phones through ID geolocation, learn each tree’s story – its species, plant date, farmer and more, and even engage with each tree while tracking its carbon impact with easy-to-use dashboards.
“This offers up new and tangibly effective sustainability opportunities for individuals and brands to engage employees, customers and suppliers with a host of integrated digital marketing tools,” explained Storey. “Brands can now fully integrate transparent tree-planting into their business and brand sustainability story on their road to carbon zero.”
OBTI has also teamed up with the UAE-based advisory and sustainability experts Mātiti Group and Mātiti Green to engage, connect and partner local and regional companies.
“OBTI is a remarkable initiative and a purpose-driven cause. With Mātiti’s mission of being a negative carbon footprint company, Mātiti Group are committed to walking the talk together with OBTI in delivering the one billion trees to the world, and setting the right example for change,” added Charul C Jaitly, OBTI Advisory Board Member and CEO Mātiti Green.
“Talks are advanced with NGOs and corporates in the UAE to plant trees and mangroves in the Emirates and ensure their sustainability. We will soon announce amazing planting projects rights here in the UAE,” added Storey.