In alignment with the National Climate Change Plan of the UAE 2017-2050 and The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), DP Worldinitiatedits Mangrove Forest Project consisting of approximately 100,000 seedlings. The project is in line with DP World’s sustainability framework (Our World, Our Future), within which oceans are one of the legacy focus areas in response to SDG 14: Life Below Water. In addition, it also responds to the entity’sOcean Restoration Strategy.
As an advocate of environmental protection, DP World will reiterate its willingness to preserve the planet at Expo 2020 Dubai’s Climate Change and Biodiversity Week, sponsored by the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE).
Located at the Jebel Ali Wildlife Sanctuary, the project will cover a total area of approximately 10 hectares of mangroves with a density of around 10,000 trees per hectare. As per the scale of the project, the carbon compensation potential will be around 3-8 tCO2/hectare, meaning the plantation will sequester between 30-80 tCO2 every year. Execution partners include the Emirates Marine Environmental Group (EMEG) and the Storey Group. A unique feature of the plantation will be the use of the EcoMatcher tagging technology that will track the growth of each tree.
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman & CEO, DP Worldexplained: “The land and the sea are integral to the UAE. They also form the foundation of our business. Hence, we believe that it is a shared responsibility to ensure the well-being of the resources. The late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan once said ‘On land and in the sea, our forefathers lived and survived in this environment. They were able to do so only because they recognised the need to conserve it, to take from it only what they needed to live and to preserve it for succeeding generations’."
Abdulla Bin Damithan, CEO & Managing Director, DP World UAE and Jafzasaid: “The Mangrove Forest Project will bring much relief to the water bodies in the UAE. The project includes working with other companies such as Microsoft, Procter & Gamble and Emirates Global Aluminium. With our concerted efforts, in the future,we hope the project gains recognition internationally as a carbon-accredited initiative.”
Since its inception, DP World has conducted business operations in an eco-conscious way, assessing the impact on the environment and monitoring the waters in which they operate by using the latest technologies. The entity also firmly believes in engaging employees to create a sustainable business and protect the planet, thus urging them to participate in several campaigns each year focusing on oceans and waterways, among other causes.