IFZA CEO Jochen Knecht met with His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Salman Al Hammadi, Assistant Undersecretary for the Biodiversity and Marine Life Sector, Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) at the Jebel Ali Wildlife Sanctuary to present the achievement of the IFZA Free Zone Community successfully planting over 10,000 mangrove trees at the Jubail Mangrove Park in Abu Dhabi. This effort is estimated to sequester 2.3 million kg of CO2 over the lifetime of the forest.
IFZA Dubai, the UAE’s truly international Free Zone community, has differentiated itself through IFZA Cares, its official corporate social responsibility arm. The trees have been planted as a part of its flagship projects which is the multi-phase IFZA Grow Initiative, aimed at establishing a web of mangrove forests globally as part of its commitment to the One Billion Trees Initiative (OBTI) that was established by The Story Group (TSG).
After successfully planting over 10,000 mangrove trees, a second phase of the Grow initiative has been launched at the Jebel Ali Wildlife Sanctuary in Dubai, with the ambitious goal of planting 20,000 mangrove trees by COP28UAE. Future phases of this initiative will see an interlinked network of both coastal and land-based forests in strategic locations around the world.
Members of the IFZA Free Zone Community received a sapling to launch the IFZA Forest. Leveraging a state-of-the-art digital blockchain-based platform each member can track and monitor the growth of their tree from around the world. Users can virtually "visit" their trees through satellite imagery, gaining insights into the unique attributes of each planted tree, including photos, planting date, geolocation, species, CO2 sequestration potential, real-life pictures, and caretaker information.
The GROW Initiative serves as a platform for IFZA Licensees in the UAE and across the world to actively engage in environmental sustainability through more than 1,600 Professional Partners.
During the meeting, IFZA expressed its eagerness to support the UAE Government’s efforts toward achieving climate neutrality by 2050. Knecht reaffirmed IFZA’s commitment to contributing further to the UAE National Biodiversity Strategy and working towards the objective of planting 100 million trees by 2030, an essential step in the journey towards climate neutrality.
His Excellency Dr. Al Hammadi said:
"The UAE has taken significant measures to enhance its commitment to conserving and safeguarding biodiversity. Through the implementation of a comprehensive political and legislative framework, the nation has successfully launched numerous projects, programs, and initiatives aimed at promoting environmental protection. We welcome initiatives like the Grow Initiative by IFZA, as they showcase the power of collaboration between the private and public sectors. We look forward to exploring future avenues of collaboration, as together, we can work collectively towards achieving the sustainability vision our leadership."
Jochen Knecht, CEO of IFZA, stated:
"We are honored to present our vision as a Free Zone community to the MOCCAE towards the UAE’s sustainability goals. With 2023 designated as the Year of Sustainability and COP28 on the horizon, the importance of sustainable development has never been more evident. By expanding our network of mangrove forests and driving awareness among our Partners, Licensees, and Employees, we invite all companies within the Free Zone and worldwide, to join us in our efforts and make a collective commitment to forging greener and more sustainable future."
Karen Storey, CEO of The Storey Group, Initiative Partner said:
The Storey Group is truly honored to celebrate our successful partnership with IFZA. Their dedicated efforts, planting over 10,000 mangrove trees, not only contribute to a greener, more sustainable future, but also align perfectly with our mission to plant a billion trees. serves as a testament to the power of collaboration between public and private sectors in the UAE. Together, we are making meaningful strides towards a sustainable future, not just for the UAE, but for the world.