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A Partnership To Plant 12,000 Mangrove Trees In Jubail | |
| Sumita Pawar |
According to the media, Etihad Airways and Marriott International are collaborating to plant 12,000 mangrove trees on Jubail Island.
The initiative is part of a broader campaign to establish the Etihad Marriott Mangrove Forest and support the UAE’s sustainability efforts.
According to the report, the Etihad Marriott Mangrove Forest, which will cover more than 150 square kilometres of the UAE's coastline, will be the only evergreen forest in the GCC region, providing a natural habitat for marine and terrestrial species.
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During the first phase of the two-month project, which took place on January 27, 2023, teams from Etihad and Marriott International planted the first set of Jubail Island mangrove trees.
According to the report, the collaboration with Marriott International is part of the larger Etihad Forest initiative, which aims to plant 182,000 mangrove trees in the first quarter of 2023 before expanding to plant forests across the airline's international destinations.
Kim Hardaker, VP Loyalty and Partnerships, Etihad Airways, commented, "As a long-term loyalty partner, the Etihad team is thrilled to collaborate with Marriott International to plant 12,000 mangroves in Abu Dhabi in 2023."
"Mangrove forests are a natural feature of Abu Dhabi’s beautiful coastline." "Mangroves store around four times more carbon than other terrestrial forests, which is one of the reasons Etihad chose to establish the Etihad Mangrove Forest last year," she added.
According to the report, the development of the Etihad Marriott Mangrove Forest initiative is also in line with Marriott International's Sustainability and Social Impact Platform, which serves 360: Doing Good in Every Direction.
Over the next two months, employees from Marriott International hotels in the UAE and internationally will volunteer to plant trees at Jubail Island. Employees will also have the opportunity to adopt a tree, monitor its status, and learn more about the planting process and technology through a dedicated app.
Sandeep Walia, Chief Operating Officer, Middle East, Marriott International, said: "The first self-contained educational, nature, and leisure destination of its kind, Jubail Mangrove Park is a tribute to the natural ecosystem of Abu Dhabi and Jubail Island."
"As part of our sustainability commitment, we are excited to collaborate with Etihad Airways to contribute towards the UAE’s conservation projects and develop natural resources." This initiative is in line with Marriott’s commitment to creating a positive and sustainable impact wherever we do business.
Report elaborated, Globally, mangroves store approximately 6.4 billion metric tonnes of carbon dioxide, almost four times more than other terrestrial forests. At a rate of just more than 12 kilogrammes a year, the average mangrove captures over 300 kilogrammes of carbon dioxide in its 25-year lifetime, helping to fight the effects of climate change such as coral bleaching and coastline degradation and supporting biodiversity and wildlife.
As the report concluded, Etihad sees tackling the climate crisis as the most important issue of our time and was named the Airline Ratings Environmental Airline of the Year 2022. Through strategic partnerships with major global aviation brands and OEMs, Etihad is relentless in its pursuit of industry decarbonization.