UAE, Indonesia unveil Mangrove Alliance for Climate at COP27
Initiative seeks to scale up, speed up conservation, restoration of mangrove ecosystems
SHARM AL SHEIKH: Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, on Tuesday announced the launch of the Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC).
Led by the UAE and Indonesia, the initiative seeks to scale up and accelerate the conservation and restoration of mangrove ecosystems for the benefit of communities worldwide.
The announcement was made at the 27th UN Climate Change Conference (COP27), in Egypt. Five other countries — India, Sri Lanka, Australia, Japan, and Spain — have joined the Alliance.
MAC seeks to raise awareness about the role of mangroves as a nature-based climate change solution, and, through its members, will work towards expanding and rehabilitating mangrove forests globally.
Mangrove forests are among the most productive and ecologically important ecosystems on earth. They offer significant climate change mitigation and adaptation co-benefits, as they store carbon up to 400 per cent faster than land-based tropical rainforests, protect coasts from rising sea levels, erosion, and storm surges, and provide breeding grounds for marine biodiversity. Around 80 percent of the global fish population depend on healthy mangrove ecosystems.
Mariam Almheiri said: “Increasing reliance on nature-based solutions is an integral element of the UAE’s climate action on the domestic as well as international level, therefore we seek to expand our mangrove cover. At COP26, we presented our ambitious target of planting 100 million mangroves by 2030.”
“We are pleased to launch MAC jointly with Indonesia, and believe it will go a long way in driving collective climate action and rehabilitating blue carbon ecosystems,” she added.
The Minister noted that the UAE intends to plant three million mangroves within the next two months.
At the MAC launch ceremony, the website https://mangrovealliance4climate.org, which features the alliance’s goals, work mechanisms, and a pledge form for members, went live.
MAC will follow a voluntary approach. Members can determine their own commitments towards planting and restoring mangrove forests, promoting multilateral cooperation, and sharing knowledge, while the Alliance will support their projects in the areas of mangrove research, management and protection of coastal areas, and educating the public about climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Collectively, members will demonstrate their dedication to maximising the potential of nature-based solutions through mangrove planting and conservation campaigns, enhance mangroves’ climate change mitigation capabilities through research and innovation, contribute to mangrove conservation worldwide through scientific and socio-economic studies, engage the community and the private sector in mangrove planting to expand blue carbon ecosystems, and step up concerted efforts to advance the global climate agenda.
MAC will feature multiple interactive platforms, including annual meetings to track progress in implementing its goals, drive cooperation between members, and approve annual reports.