UAE Begins 44th Planting Week To Raise Awareness On Planting Trees

The United Arab Emirates has started the 44th Planting Week under the theme of "Together, Let's Plant the UAE" to raise awareness about the importance of planting trees to curb the impact of climate change.

The initiative kicked off Monday and will continue till Friday (March 1) and several concerned authorities will be participating in the planting activities across the Middle Eastern country.

During the plantation process, the Ministry of Climate Change and the Environment (MOCCAE) will be supplying 50,000 mangrove seedlings to participating entities to support the country's pledge to plant 100 million mangrove trees by 2030.

Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak Al Shamsi, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, said that trees help complete the ecosystem of this planet, bring the temperature down, and also serve as habitats for various birds and other creatures.

Furthermore, trees "play a crucial role in reducing carbon dioxide levels, producing oxygen, and yielding numerous agricultural crops," Al Shamsi said, according to WAM.

"During Planting Week, our aim is to educate the community about the significance of tree planting and the wide-ranging benefits it brings, encouraging greater participation in tree planting, preservation, and development activities," she added.

She recalled that the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, also known as Father of the Nation and the first President of the UAE, held a strong passion for planting efforts since the country was formed.

"His vision and focus on engaging the community in tree planting efforts laid the foundation for our current approach. I urge community members to participate in Planting Week activities, aiming to make it an opportunity for continuous year-round planting," she said.

The minister noted that the MOCCAE is committed to adopting nature-based solutions to achieve net zero by 2050.

The Middle Eastern country has been taking several initiatives to reduce the impact of climate change. For instance, the UAE is committed to increasing its share of electric and hybrid vehicles to 50% of all sold vehicles in the next 25 years.

Dubai Municipality signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Feb. 12 with N.V.Besix S.A., Marubeni Middle East and Africa Power Limited (MAMEA), and ENOC Marketing to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by mixing solid municipal waste, organic waste and green hydrogen generated from sewage treatment processes.