Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) proudly welcomed esteemed guests, community members, and representatives from various organisations to its tree planting programme, “For Our Emirates We Plant,” in partnership with Abu Dhabi Municipality, represented by the Shahama Municipality Centre. This significant event marked the commencement of the holy month of Ramadan and underscored the paramount importance of environmental stewardship and community engagement.
During her opening address, the Chairperson of Emirates Environmental Group extended a warm welcome to all attendees and thanked Abu Dhabi City Municipality, particularly the Shahama Municipality Centre, for their unwavering support and steadfast partnership over the years. She lauded the proactive efforts of the team in facilitating the implementation of this transformative programme and looked forward to continued collaboration in the years to come.
The Chairperson also extended heartfelt appreciation to the management and leadership of partnering entities, including The Galleria Al Maryah Island, Rotary Club of Dubai, Den Hartogh Logistics DMCC and Tune Protect EMEIA, for their valuable contribution to the cause. These organisations have managed to demonstrate their unwavering dedication by pledging and planting 500 saplings of native trees, furthering the mission of environmental sustainability.
Providing a brief overview of EEG’s extensive community-based action programmes, the Chairperson emphasised the organisation’s commitment to environmental conservation. With 2,127,600 indigenous trees successfully planted to date, resulting in the mitigation of 12,545.82 metric tons of CO2, EEG continues to hold a crucial position in the efforts to reduce carbon emissions and promote biodiversity throughout the UAE.
Furthermore, the Chairperson highlighted EEG’s alignment with the UAE’s ambitious climate action goals, including the UAE Net Zero by 2050 initiative. She underscored the economic opportunities inherent in transitioning to a sustainable economy and reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to the Paris Agreement.
In the context of global efforts to combat climate change, the Chairperson emphasised the critical importance of preserving biodiversity and the significant role of tree planting in mitigating CO2 emissions. She called upon attendees to unite in raising awareness and taking concrete actions to create a greener, more sustainable future for generations to come.
Participants actively engaged in planting the saplings and contributing to the greening of the UAE landscape. Housekeeping points were shared to ensure the smooth execution of the ceremony, including guidelines for tree planting and environmental stewardship.
Drawing from the sayings of the Holy Prophet Mohammed, the Chairperson quoted, “If the final hour come while you have a shoot of a plant in your hands and it is possible to plant it before the Hour comes, you should plant it” highlighting the profound significance of planting trees as well as spearheading environmental stewardship and stimulating proactive actions.
Furthermore, the Chairperson highlighted the UAE’s unwavering dedication to sustainability, as declared by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan – President of the UAE that the 2024 is another Year of Sustainability. This commitment builds upon the impactful momentum initiated in 2023, where the UAE demonstrated its dedication by declaring a Year of Sustainability and the Chairperson was chosen to be a member of the Sustainability Experts Network for the year. This dedication underscored the UAE’s proactive approach towards fostering environmental consciousness and driving positive change.
Overall, the tree planting programme served as a poignant reminder of the collective responsibility to safeguard the environment and promote sustainable actions, particularly during the auspicious month of Ramadan. EEG remains steadfast in its mission of environmental protection and eagerly anticipates continued collaboration with partners and stakeholders to drive positive change.
-Ends-
Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) is a professional working group established in 1991 in the United Arab Emirates. 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 1st 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 Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
EEG is a member of the UN Global Compact, the Global Urban Development (GUD) and the Global Investors for Sustainable Alliance (GISD). It is also a member of the One Planet Network under the programme of Sustainable Food Systems (SFS) and its Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Committee (MAC) and Global Partnership on Marine Litter (GPML), EEG is a full Member (voting) of World Packaging Organisation (WPO).
For more information, contact us: email: eeg@emirates.net.ae; Tel: 04-3448622; Fax: 04-3448677 and please visit our bi-lingual website: www.eeg-uae.org; Follow us on LinkedIn, FB; Twitter, Youtube, Tiktok & Instagram: @eegemirates
