Norwegian operator Sundt Air has been working with Thor Heyerdahl Climate Park in Myanmar, Burma to plant mangrove trees with coastal communities in order to preserve the natural environment. The initiative has rendered Sundt as a climate neutral aviation company for several years, and this year it pledges to double its efforts.

The project became the first mangrove project in Asia in 2018 to achieve VCS validation and it is expected to mitigate 3.5 million tonnes of CO2 over the next 20 years. The project is implemented by Worldview International Foundation in cooperation with Pathein University in support of the Paris Climate Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

“Each mangrove tree mitigates five times more CO2 than terrestrial trees,” says Sundt Air CEO Tor Bratli. “They protect lives and properties in coastal communities from tsunamis, cyclones and other extreme weather, preventing shore line erosion due to sea levels rising and increasing sea food resources by 50 per cent.

“The mangroves also clean polluted water in protection of sea turtles, sea grass meadows and coral reefs, and increase livelihood opportunities with bee honey production and other income opportunities from the restored mangrove forest.

“Biodiversity is restored, with the return of endangered wild elephants, mangrove monkeys and other endangered animals, birds and plants.”

Each mangrove tree is said to produce oxygen for four people and cooling air equal to three air conditioning units.