Emirates Environmental Group concludes 2021 by planting 2,559 native trees on 21.12.21

Emirates Environmental Group concluded 2021 with its annual tree planting campaign “For Our Emirates We Plant”. This significant event took place on the special date 21.12.21; it witnessed the participation of more than 2,000 participants planting native saplings of Ghaf and Sidr trees in the Emirate of Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah.   

The tree planting began in the early morning at the Al Minae (Skheibar Area) – South of Ras Al Khaimah which was held under the patronage and presence of H. E. Engr. Sheikh Salem Bin Sultan Bin Saqr Al-Qasimi, member of the Executive Council of the Government of Ras Al-Khaimah and Chairman of the Department of Civil Aviation; followed by another tree planting in the afternoon in Layan 2 Area in association with Dubai Municipality and the management of Saih Al Salam Management.  

Mrs. Habiba Al Mar’ashi, Co-founder and Chairperson of EEG said “The COP 26 had taken place in November 2021 bringing worldwide leaders to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. More than 100 countries overseeing 85% of the world’s forests agreed to reverse deforestation by 2030. 12 wealthy countries pledged 12$ billion through 2025 to address deforestation in developing countries”.

She continued “I am proud to share with you that since the inception of this programme in 2007 EEG has managed to plant 2,105,246 trees in different areas in the UAE including this year’s numbers of 4,457 and with proper caring, these trees will reach maturity in 3 – 5 years.  They will mitigate over 12,414 Metric Tonnes of Carbon Dioxide from the atmosphere annually which will contribute to enhancing the health and wellbeing of the people as well as help achieve UAE’s strategy to reduce carbon emissions and tackle the issue of climate change”.

She explained that all these outcomes would not have been achieved without the effective partnership between Emirates Environmental Group and all the entities and organisations public and private that have participated with us.

She continued “EEG’s recycling and urban afforestation programmes are unique in the fact that they bring together people of all ages, genders, nationalities and cultures to unite for the cause of sustainability; ensuring that waste is diverted from landfills, thereby protecting the natural habitat and ecosystem, create carbon sinks, and help develop a thriving flora and fauna population, all of which contribute to achieving the UNSDGs”.

Mrs. Habiba said that since the inception of this programme 15 years ago, EEG has continued this tradition and kept this community-engaging event alive despite the ongoing effects of the pandemic. This year the programme witnessed great growth and was extremely successful due to attendance and participation of people from 132 companies, 38 schools, 260 families, who had participated in EEG’s various recycling programmes throughout the year such as “One Root One Communi-Tree”, “Recycle. Reforest. Repeat”, “Green Call”, “Paper Walk” and the “Neighbourhood Recycling Project” and “Adopt a Tree” campaign. As a way of appreciation towards their achievement and commitment, EEG provided them with the opportunity to have them all plant native trees under their own names.

EEG would like to thank H. E. Engr. Sheikh Salem Bin Sultan Bin Saqr Al-Qasimi for his active participation and unwavering support to EEG in planting trees in Ras al Khaimah. In addition, EEG would also like to thank the Management of Saih Al Salam Protected Area and Dubai Municipality for supporting the programme in Dubai to increase the sustainable green patches in in the UAE.

-Ends-

About Emirates Environmental Group

Emirates Environmental Group (EEG), is a professional working group established in 1991. It is devoted to protecting the environment through the means of education, action programmes and community involvement. EEG is actively encouraged and supported by concerned local and federal government agencies. It is the first environmental NGO in the world to be ISO 14001 certified and the only organisation of its kind in the UAE with accredited status to the United Nations Convention to Combating Desertification (UNCCD) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). EEG is a member of the UN Global Compact, the International Union of Conservation for Nature (IUCN), the Global Urban Development (GUD), the One Planet Network under programme of Sustainable Food System (SFS) and its Multi-stakeholder Advisory Committee (MAC) and Global Partnership on Marine Litter (GPML).

For more information, contact us: email: eeg@emirates.net.ae
Tel: 04-3448622; Fax: 04-3448677
Please visit our bi-lingual website: www.eeg-uae.org
Follow us on FB; Twitter & Instagram: @eegemirates

© Press Release 2021