UAE Places The First Rock Of The Global Center For Mangrove Research In Bali

JAKARTA - The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced the laying of the first stone for the "International Center for Mangrove Research Mohamed bin Zayed - Joko Widodo" project in Bali.

The project aims to strengthen global efforts in developing mangroves which are one of the most important solutions in dealing with climate change and protecting environmental ecosystems in coastal areas.

"Mangrove Research Center Project Mohamed bin Zayed-Joko Widodo supports UAE's policy in line with the goals of the COP28 Conference which focuses on strengthening global efforts to deal with climate change and realizing environmental sustainability," said UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei in a press release by the UAE Embassy reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, May 21.

"Illustrating the UAE's commitment to leading environmental initiatives and strengthening cooperation between countries in achieving sustainable development goals," added AlMazrouei.

Al Mazrouei emphasized that the project is an important step to strengthen international cooperation in the field of environmental research because it reflects the UAE's commitment to protecting the environment, especially sensitive ecosystems such as mangroves.

The International Center for Mangrove Research Mohamed bin Zayed-Joko Widodo is one of the most important contributions of the UAE in strengthening climate and environmental sustainability in the world while protecting this earth from the impact of climate change.

The institution also describes strong strategic relations between the UAE and Indonesia in various important sectors, especially in advancing sustainable development systems and uniting efforts to create a sustainable future for the two countries.

Meanwhile, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak explained that under the leadership of President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE really wants to contribute and play an active role in finding practical solutions to protect the environment and support sustainability efforts for all citizens of the world.

"This institution represents one of the most important UAE contributions in cooperation with Indonesia to promote natural-based solutions in order to overcome the impact of climate change in both countries and the world because mangrove forests are natural carbon storage that supports various technological solutions to reduce carbon emissions," he said.

Amna said the agency supports efforts to spread more mangrove trees globally, especially in the UAE, which plans to plant 100 million mangrove trees by 2030, as well as Indonesia, which has the largest and most diverse mangrove forests in the world.

According to him, the project is an important addition to global efforts to increase the spread of mangrove forests, especially the Mangrove Alliance for Climate launched by the UAE in collaboration with Indonesia and 41 other countries, in addition to the Mangrove Development Initiative which is a collaborative effort between Global Mangrove Alliance and climate affairs leaders at the United Nations.

The Mangrove International Research Center Mohamed bin Zayed-Joko Widodo will be built on an area of 2.5 hectares, with various supporting infrastructure and located in Ngurah Rai Grand Forest Park, which is a park of 1,158.44 hectares, which is a mangrove ecosystem and is located around Benoa Bay.

The research institute aims to conduct further research in efforts to develop mangrove trees, increase their role as natural carbon storeers, deal with climate change, improve natural environments in coastal areas, develop biodiversity and increase knowledge exchange in the field of mangrove tree development with various countries.

Mangrove forests are one of the most productive and important ecosystems for the environment on earth. Mangroves are able to store up to 400 percent of carbon faster than tropical rainforests.

Tropical rainforests are known to absorb emissions and protect coastal environments, where 80 percent of the global fish population relies on a healthy mangrove ecosystem.

The establishment of the Mangrove International Research Center Mohamed bin Zayed-Joko Widodo was first announced during the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in the UAE last year.