Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi showcases innovative use of drones to plant mangroves in Bahrain
As part of Abu Dhabi Mangrove Initiative (ADMI), the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) has showcased its latest drone-based mangrove cultivation technologies in cooperation with Nabat, a climate tech company launched last year by the Advanced Technology Research Council's commercialisation arm, VentureOne.
The demonstration was conducted during a visit undertaken by an agency delegation to present this experience to H.H. Shaikh Mohammed bin Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa in the Kingdom of Bahrain, reflecting EAD's vision of establishing the principles of cooperation and exchange of expertise to advance the future of the region.
The delegation included Ahmed Al Hashemi, Executive Director of the Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity Sector at EAD, Shahab Issa Abu Shahab, Director General of the Advanced Technology Research Council, and a number of experts and specialists who provided a detailed explanation of the innovative experiment, in the presence of Dr Mohamed bin Mubarak Bin Daina, Bahrain's Minister of Oil and Environment, Special Envoy for Climate Affairs, and a number of officials in Bahrain.
Al Hashemi said, "With a proven track record of rehabilitating 17,600 hectares, the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi is now strategically deploying its expertise and innovative drone planting technology, in partnership with Nabat, to amplify regional impact. Our collaboration with our partners in Bahrain represents a deliberate effort to establish Abu Dhabi as a centre of excellence in environmental restoration, driving measurable progress and influencing regional policy for a sustainable future."
"We at the Environment Agency are committed to continuing to consolidate Abu Dhabi's leading position in rehabilitating these valuable ecosystems, which cover approximately 17,600 hectares of the emirate, in cooperation with our partners at Nabat to plant more than 10 million trees using innovative solutions such as drones. We are pleased to share this experience today with our brothers in Bahrain, believing in the need to exchange knowledge and expertise to support these initiatives, and projects that establish the principles of regional environmental work and nature conservation to ensure a better future for upcoming generations."
The method of planting mangrove trees with AI-powered autonomous drones offers many advantages, including low environmental footprint, cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and scalability, allowing the significant expansion of various ecosystems.
Nabat's technology, developed by the Technology Innovation Institute, also ensures that mangrove restoration is data-driven and tailored to each unique habitat.
Acting CEO at VentureOne, Reda Nidhakou, said, 'It was an immense privilege for us to join the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi in conducting a live demo of Nabat's cutting-edge mangrove seeding technology in Bahrain. EAD's ecological expertise has been invaluable in fine-tuning our technology, making ecosystem restoration data-driven, scalable, and customisable to each unique habitat. We look forward to continuing to drive nature-based solutions to climate change and are committed to being part of Abu Dhabi's leadership in using technology to address global issues.'
EAD's mangrove-planting efforts represent an effective nature-based solution to mitigate the effects of climate change and support the ambitious UAE initiative to plant 100 million mangrove trees by 2030, while contributing to the efforts of the UAE-led Mangrove Alliance for Climate.
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