A ground-breaking technology project in Malaysia initiated by telecommunications firm Ericsson to provide near real-time information to restore dwindling mangrove plantations was announced as one of 13 winners of a United Nations climate change award.
Ericsson’s Connected Mangroves project, the first of its kind in the world, combines cloud, machine-to-machine and mobile broadband to help the local community in Selangor, Malaysia, to better manage the growth of new mangrove saplings.
Volunteers planted mangrove saplings that have been equipped with sensors that can monitor real-time information about soil and weather conditions, fires, water levels and any intrusion from third parties to ensure positive growth and rehabilitation of eroded coastlines. Data is compiled and sent directly to a cloud system where users, such as farmers, NGOs, analysts and authorities, can have access to it to understand more about the current status of the saplings.
“The Connected Mangroves project addresses the need to protect an important part of the ecosystem of the nearly 3,000 miles of coastline in Malaysia. By combining ICT innovation with collaborative partnerships that are built on a shared vision, we now see a higher percentage of the mangrove saplings will most likely reach maturity. In addition, through this Internet of Things (IoT) solution, the community has been empowered to use data to manage their environment and take action to support the mangroves – and their community – to thrive,” said Todd Ashton, President, Ericsson Malaysia and Sri Lanka.
Mangroves are a vital part of Malaysia’s ecosystem, Ericsson said, protecting villages near coastlines and river banks from environmental risks and they are one of the most effective trees in the world for soaking up the carbon dioxide that generates dangerous climate change.
“To avert dangerous tipping points in the climate system, global emissions must peak as soon as possible and then be driven down drastically. A balance must be achieved in the second half of this century between global emissions and removals through sequestration into ecosystems or through other means. Mangroves are a key natural ally in this objective and this project shows what a smart approach can do to conserve, restore and expand these crucial nature-based services,” said Nick Nuttall, UNFCCC Spokesperson.
Phase 1 of the project involved a pilot of 200 seedlings and Phase 2 will have 1,000 seedlings. The team’s ambition is to plant a total of 10,000 seedlings.
The “Connected Mangroves” project was awarded under the Momentum for Change ICT Solutions focus area because it is a shining example of how ICT and mobility can be used together to restore dwindling mangrove plantations and thus help absorb carbon emissions while protecting residents from natural disasters such as flooding.
Together with the other winning projects, it will be showcased at a series of special events during the UN Climate Change Conference in Marrakech, Morocco (7-18 November 2016).
