Our best resource to address the climate emergency is nature herself. By protecting, enhancing and restoring our natural ecosystems, we can accelerate the capture of carbon dioxide and mitigate climate change.

Mastercard’s Priceless Planet Coalition aims to restore 100 million trees around the world.

In the UAE, the project is undertaken as a partnership between Mastercard, Conservation International, Emirates Nature-WWF, and World Resources Institute with the support of Red Crescent.

Our primary focus in the UAE will be to restore and regenerate our mangroves and associated coastal ecosystems.

Did you know: The UAE has the largest mangrove coverage in the region.

• Mangroves store up to 4 times more carbon than tropical forests.
• These Blue Carbon ecosystems can sequester and store carbon both within the plant as well as in the sediment and soil beneath them.
• By restoring mangroves to good health, we also restore our local biodiversity. Afterall, mangroves are home to endangered species of turtles, seabirds, sharks and rays.
• Society benefits from healthy mangroves as well. Mangroves help reverse the decline in fish stocks, improve water quality, contribute to our cultural identity and create opportunities for eco-tourism.
• Resilient coastal wetlands offer an added advantage of protecting our infrastructure from the negative impacts of climate change, like sea level rise and erosion.

We must sustain our mangroves, so they can sustain us. The time to act is now.