A BAHRAINI petrochemical firm commemorated International Day for Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem yesterday by expanding on their plantation project.
The Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC) had started the mangrove plantation as a nesting area for its Bird Sanctuary in 2003, and since then, has continued planting and nurturing mangroves that are indigenous to Bahrain.
As of today, there are 10,000 mangroves planted within the GPIC complex.
The company continued its dedication to tackling climate change and carbon emissions by unveiling its Mangroves Reserve Expansion Project during the international awareness day, in the presence of Municipalities and Agriculture Ministry assistant under-secretary for marine resources Hussain Makki.
GPIC chief executive Yasser Abdulrahim Alabbasi, as well as the labour union chairman and its members, the executive management team and other company employees were present.
Every year, people around the world rally to raise awareness of the importance of mangroves as ‘a unique, special and vulnerable ecosystem’ and to promote solutions for their sustainable management, conservation and use. The day was adopted by the General Conference of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation in 2015.
“The company prioritises various environmental projects within the complex, including olive gardens, aromatic plant gardens, neem trees, a bird sanctuary, and a fish farm, and it is now adding a Mangrove Reserve to this list,” said Mr Alabbasi, who also thanked the ministry for providing mangrove seedlings to implement the green initiative.
Mangroves grow typically along coastlines and tidal rivers, and can easily adapt to take in extra oxygen and remove salt, which allows them to thrive in conditions that would kill most plants. They are effective at capturing and storing carbon dioxide emissions and provide natural infrastructure to help protect nearby populated areas by reducing erosion and absorbing storm surge impacts. Their dense roots help bind and build soils as well as provide a safe haven for birds and marine organisms.
Mr Alabbasi confirmed the company’s commitment to increasing the number of mangroves in its reserve to 250,000 by 2035.
This follows Bahrain’s pledge to support the objectives of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26) to expand four-fold the plantation coverage across coastal areas by 2035.
“This will be a decisive step towards preserving our environment and mitigating the effects of climate change,” he added. “Mangroves are known to play a vital role in balancing carbon emissions, which will help the Kingdom of Bahrain achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2060.”
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