ABU DHABI, 1 APR 2024

Last year ended on a positive note with the UAE hosting COP28, the world’s largest climate forum. During this globally resonant event I was invited to participate in a session on the Mangrove Breakthrough, which was jointly hosted by the UAE’s Mangrove Alliance for Climate, the Global Mangrove Alliance, the COP28 Presidency and UN High-Level Champions. This ambitious initiative outlines the guiding principles and the global target of restoring and protecting 15 million hectares of mangroves, while halting their destruction, by 2030.

During the event, I announced the intent of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) to host in 2024 the first global conference on mangrove conservation and restoration best practices. This intent is now a reality, and the International Mangrove Conservation and Restoration Conference (IMCRC) – the first of its kind – will be hosted in Abu Dhabi from 10-12 December. It comes under the umbrella of 2024 being coined the Year of Sustainability, as well as an extension of the Abu Dhabi Climate Change Strategy which we launched last year.

The conference also reflects our commitment to the Kunming-Montreal biodiversity framework as the main goal of the event is to promote and disseminate knowledge and best practice about mangrove ecosystem restoration which is aligned with the framework setting out an ambitious pathway to reach the global vision of a world living in harmony with nature by 2050.

In the UAE, and especially in Abu Dhabi, we are very well aware of the importance of mangroves and have our own exceptional story. The emirate’s mangrove restoration efforts date back to before the 1970s, making Abu Dhabi a pioneer in the rehabilitation of these valuable ecosystems. Abu Dhabi’s mangrove restoration projects are still the country’s largest, with coverage across the emirate currently totaling 17,600 hectares. And since 2020, we have planted more than 44 million mangroves using innovative solutions such as drones.

IMCRC is an initiative that will take place under the umbrella of the Abu Dhabi Mangrove Initiative (ADMI), launched 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 in February 2022.

ADMI is the umbrella programme for all mangrove restoration initiatives in the emirate of Abu Dhabi and its goals include implementing science-based restoration, prioritising protection efforts, and working towards zero net loss of any critical natural habitat, including mangroves. 

Our hosting of IMCRC will certainly help us achieve our goals. By convening global scientists, conservation, and restoration professionals working in the public and private sectors on mangrove and other coastal ecosystem programmes, all stakeholders working in the field will be able to exchange knowledge on applied science and best practice with people from all over the world and share their own experiences.

I invite you all to be part of this event and join the mangrove restoration and conservation dialogue, because I believe that joint efforts across the whole community will provide the key to our success. Close cooperation will allow us to devise innovative solutions, projects and initiatives to protect mangroves, a unique species and nature-based solution that will play a critical role in helping us combat our greatest challenge: climate change.

Her Excellency Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri 

Secretary General of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi