Dr. Mohammed bin Mubarak Bin Daina, Minister of Oil and Environment and Special Envoy for Climate Affairs participated in the international ministerial meeting to expand the range of mangroves during the "Nature, Oceans and Land Use Day" as part of the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28).
The minister affirmed Bahrain's commitment to achieving the National Afforestation Plan's goal of increasing greenery and increasing the number of trees by 2035, which includes quadrupling mangrove trees by 2035 as a commitment to reducing climate change and reaching carbon neutrality by 2060.
He emphasised that Bahrain's membership in The Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC), a coalition established by the United Arab Emirates in partnership with Indonesia, reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to enhancing cooperation among various sectors concerned with climate security and the protection of the environment.
Bin Daina underscored the importance of public-private cooperation in promoting a culture of agriculture and raising awareness about mangroves' environmental and nutritional role.
This meeting aimed to establish a strong path for developing nature-based solutions, bring about a qualitative change in climate action and accelerate financing, policy, and technology to achieve the objectives of the Mangrove Breakthrough initiative. The initiative aims to protect and restore 15 million hectares of mangroves by 2030.
MAC seeks to support, enhance, and expand areas of mangrove forests as one way to counteract climate change and absorb and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
This initiative requires that member states plant, restore, rehabilitate, and recover mangrove forests; foster cooperation among countries to support this natural solution; exchange knowledge, promote scientific research; and preserve coastal areas.
