Etihad Mangrove Forest sustainability initiative launches in Abu Dhabi

The project is designed to help remove more carbon from the atmosphere

Etihad Airways has launched the Etihad Mangrove Forest to provide guests, corporate accounts and partners the option to adopt mangroves in Abu Dhabi to reduce their carbon footprint.

Developed alongside Abu Dhabi’s Environment Agency, the project has been designed to create new carbon sinks and natural resources to reduce carbon levels in the environment.

Using a digital platform, the Etihad Mangrove Forest will allow guests and partners to invest in carbon removal for AED18.5 (US$5) per mangrove, where the individual trees can be tracked online or through an app.

When they participate, guests receive a unique tree code, geolocation and virtual access to their tree for the next 10 years. Trees can be gifted and named by guests. 

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Etihad Aviation Group group chief executive officer Tony Douglas said: “Over the last two years Etihad has developed an extensive programme to tackle the challenge of aviation sustainability. We have focused on innovation and technology to develop carbon reduction processes and operational efficiencies that will benefit the industry.”

Douglas went on to say that Etihad is “building partnerships and collaborations” to lead a united industry response to decarbonisation through “the most comprehensive, cross organisational sustainability aviation initiative ever undertaken”.

He added: “The Etihad Mangrove Forest is the next step in our sustainability journey to ensure our responsibility to remove carbon from the atmosphere is progressing. The intent is to create forests on all continents we fly to, and to provide our guests with an engaging opportunity to take part in the solution.”

Around the world, mangrove forests are responsible for storing approximately 6.4 billion tonnes of carbon. This accounts for almost four times the amount of carbon stored in land-based forests. At a rate of just more than 12kg a year, the average mangrove captures over 300kg of CO2 in its 25-year lifetime, helping to fight the effects of climate change and support biodiversity.

The Etihad Mangroves Forest site is currently protected under the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi.

For more information, visit www.etihad.com