The world’s first edition of the International Mangrove Conservation and Restoration Conference (IMCRC), led by the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), concluded with an urgent message: safeguarding and restoring the world’s mangroves is essential to addressing global environmental and socioeconomic challenges.
With more than 50 per cent of mangroves at risk of collapse by 2050 due to human-driven pressures, the conference highlighted the critical role of these ecosystems in ensuring …
Mangroves are one of the most threatened ecosystems on the planet. They store carbon from the atmosphere and act as a buffer from tropical storms and coastal erosion, so mangroves are crucial to building climate resilience.
More than 1 million hectares (2.5 million acres) of mangroves have been lost since 1996, with about 70% of this loss considered restorable. But mature mangrove forests (and their vast carbon stores) are irreplaceable.
Protecting what we still have is paramount, alongside global efforts to plant more mangroves. So, I was excited to be at the world’s first international mangrove conservation and restoration conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in December.
A key focus of this three-day meeting – with more than 400 delegates plus 100 speakers from 82 countries – is the “mangrove breakthrough”. This is a new global strategy supported by the Global Mangrove Alliance, an organisation that brings together technical experts, leaders, communities, businesses and funders to collaboratively scale up solutions.
This plan for mangrove conservation and restoration has three goals: to stop human-driven mangrove loss, double the area of mangroves with effective conservation status, and restore half of recently lost mangroves.
Reflecting on the current status of wor…
On 12 December 2024, the International Mangrove Conservation and Restoration Conference in Abu Dhabi hosted a landmark workshop titled "Harnessing Blue Carbon: Integrating Mangrove Restoration and Community Engagement." Organised by the United Nations Environment Programme, the event brought together experts, policymakers, and community leaders to explore how blue carbon initiatives can be scaled up ethically and sustainably.
But amidst the technical discussions and policy insights, one moment stood out -a moment that laid bare the …
As part of the Abu Dhabi Mangrove Initiative (ADMI), Abu Dhabi hosts the first international exhibition of mangrove photography in the region from 10th December 2024 to the end of February 2025 at Manarat Al Saadiyat.
The exhibition is a partnership between the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), Manarat Al Saadiyat under the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT), the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organizat…
The world's first International Mangrove Conservation and Restoration Conference (IMCRC), led by the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, (EAD), kicked off in the UAE capital on Tuesday, bringing together over 500 delegates including scientists, policymakers, academics, researchers and environmental leaders.
This conference seeks to drive the development of innovative strategies for mangrove restoration, leveraging cutting-edge science, advanced technology and global collaboration to address the dual challenges of biodiversity loss and climate ch…
Marking the UAE’s 2nd Year of Sustainability, under the framework of the Abu Dhabi Mangrove Initiative (ADMI) and Abu Dhabi’s Climate Change Strategy, the world’s first edition of The International Mangrove Conservation and Restoration Conference (IMCRC), led by the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, (EAD), kicked off today in Abu Dhabi. It brings together over 500 delegates, including scientists, policymakers, academics, researchers and environmental leaders, to address pressing global mangrove challenges and inte…
As part of the Year of Sustainability, the first edition of the International Mangroves Conservation and Restoration Conference (IMCRC), organised by the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) under the umbrella of the Abu Dhabi Mangrove Initiative (ADMI), will be held from 10-12 December at Bab Al Qasr Hotel in Abu Dhabi.
The event is expected to welcome 468 specialists and more than 96 speakers from 82 countries, who will attend va…
By H.E. Dr Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi
A few years ago, even before the Covid-19 pandemic, a report released by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) showed that all is not well with the nature.
The Global Assessment Report for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services 2019 highlighted that land use changes, accelerated mainly by agriculture, forestry, and urban development, hav…
The inaugural International Mangrove Conservation and Restoration Conference (IMCRC) is delighted to have received many original and innovative abstract submissions for oral or poster presentations and workshops to be presented at the conference. Both abstract submissions and registrations are now closed.
The conference aims to discuss, evaluate, and energise the development of innovative solutions for mangrove restoration, promoting science-based restoration and contributing to mitigating the effects of climate change. Particula…
Last year ended on a positive note with the UAE hosting COP28, the world’s largest climate forum. During this globally resonant event I was invited to participate in a session on the Mangrove Breakthrough, which was jointly hosted by the UAE’s Mangrove Alliance for Climate, the Global Mangrove Alliance, the COP28 Presidency and UN High-Level Champions. This ambitious initiative outlines the guiding principles and the global target of restoring and pr…
By Ahmed Al Hashmi, Executive Director of Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity Sector at the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi
After 2023 was announced as the ‘Year of Sustainability’ by our President of the UAE, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and with the nation gearing up to host the world’s largest climate forum – COP28 – in Dubai at Expo City, the community is very much interested about the same …
Join the global effort towards nature-positive action and support this one-of-a-kind global gathering of scientists and professionals by becoming a sponsor.
EAD is calling on all interested entities to seize this unique opportunity for supporting local and international mangrove research and best practices and restoration. This is needed more than ever as the global community works to improve the way that restoration is done locally and around the world. This conferenc…