Etihad Airways and Marriott International celebrated the planting of 12,000 mangrove trees to complete the Etihad Marriott Mangrove Forest in Jubail Island. Spread across more than 150 square kilometers of the UAE’s coastline, the Etihad Marriott Mangrove Forest now makes up part of the only evergreen forest in the GCC region providing a natural habitat for marine and terrestrial species.
The culmination event was attended by teams from Etihad Airways, Marriott International and Jubail Island. Senior leaders from the organisations, including Anthony Capuano, President & Chief Executive Officer, Marriott International, David Marriott, Chairman of the Board, Marriott International, Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group and Engineer Abdulla Saeed Al Shamsi, Corporate Director, Jubail Island Investment company, planted the final set of trees to complete the initiative.
Employees from Marriott International hotels in the UAE will continue to volunteer to support preservation efforts of the forest while also monitoring the status of the mangroves through a dedicated app which includes educational information on the mangroves and the technology and processes used to help preserve the mangroves.
Globally, mangroves store approximately 6.4 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide, almost four times more than other terrestrial forests. At a rate of just more than 12 kilograms a year, the average mangrove captures over 300 kilograms of carbon dioxide in its 25-year lifetime, helping to fight the effects of climate change such as coral bleaching and coastline degradation, and support biodiversity and wildlife.
The Etihad Marriott Mangrove Forest initiative reinforces Etihad Airways and Marriott International’s commitment to sustainability and reducing carbon footprint, while supporting the UAE’s sustainability efforts.
The collaboration with Marriott International is part of the broader Etihad Forest initiative, which is targeted to plant 182,000 mangrove trees in the first quarter of 2023, before the programme expands to plant forests across international destinations the airline operates to.
About Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, was formed in 2003 and quickly went on to become one of the world’s leading airlines. From its home in Abu Dhabi, Etihad flies to passenger and cargo destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and North America. Together with Etihad’s codeshare partners, Etihad’s network offers access to hundreds of international destinations. In recent years, Etihad has received numerous awards for its superior service and products, cargo offering, loyalty programme and more. Etihad sees tackling the climate crisis as the most important issue of our time and was named the Airline Ratings Environmental Airline of the Year 2022. Through strategic partnerships with major global aviation brands and OEMs, Etihad is relentless in its pursuit of industry decarbonisation.
About Marriott International
Marriott International, Inc., (NASDAQ: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of nearly 8,300 properties under 30 leading brands spanning 138 countries and territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts all around the world. The company offers Marriott Bonvoy®, its highly awarded travel program. For more information, please visit our website at www.Marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.MarriottNewsCenter.com. In addition, connect with us on Facebook and @MarriottIntl on Twitter and Instagram.
About Jubail Island
Jubail Island developed and managed by LEAD Development, it will be an idyllic collection of villages located between Yas Island and Saadiyat Island and will become Abu Dhabi’s leading sanctuary designed to appeal to wellness and nature enthusiasts, positioned amid the rich biodiversity of the mangroves.
The luxury project will offer wholesome F&B outlets and a wide range of facilities, including a beach club, a sports centre, school, supermarket, nurseries, a community club, specialised clinics, offices and other commercial establishments.
