SK Innovation Begins Mangrove Forest Restoration Project in Fiji

Im Sugil, Head of Value Creation Center at SK Innovation (from left), Sanjana Lal, Management Committee Member of Fiji Fisheries and Forestry Department, Jalesi Mateboto, Advisor of the Pacific Community, and Oh Jungtaek, Consul at the Korean Embassy in Fiji, are taking a commemorative photo after signing the 'Mangrove Forest Restoration Agreement for Carbon Reduction' on the 25th (local time) at the Pacific Community Narewa Campus in Suva, the capital of Fiji. Photo by SK Innovation

SK Innovation is starting a mangrove forest restoration project in Fiji, located in the South Pacific. The plan aims to contribute to solving regional problems where national environmental crises, such as sea level rise caused by global warming, are intensifying.

On the 25th (local time), SK Innovation announced on the 26th that it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for 'Mangrove Forest Restoration in Coastal Areas of Fiji for Carbon Reduction' in Suva, the capital of Fiji. Attendees at the signing ceremony included Sanjana Lal, Commissioner of the Fiji Department of Fisheries and Forestry; Jalesi Mateboto, Advisor to the Pacific Community; Oh Jung-taek, Consul at the Korean Embassy in Fiji; and Lim Soo-gil, Head of SK Innovation's Value Creation Center.

The Pacific Community is an international organization established in 1947 to provide technical support and policy advice to 27 Pacific island countries. Its headquarters are located in New Caledonia, and it supports member countries' marine resources and marine fisheries programs.

According to the MOU, SK Innovation will begin restoring mangrove forests in the coastal areas of Vanua Levu Island, Fiji, starting this November. Vanua Levu is the second-largest island among the 332 islands that make up Fiji. The project will also seek community co-prosperity plans that involve local residents directly participating in the restoration efforts. SK Innovation and related organizations will explore additional cooperation plans to expand the project.

Mangroves mainly inhabit subtropical tidal flats or coastal areas and consist of 73 species distributed over approximately 150,000 km² worldwide. They are known to play an important role in ecosystem protection, especially as plants with a carbon dioxide absorption capacity more than five times that of typical forests, making them highly effective in responding to climate change. Additionally, mangroves act as the frontline defense against natural disasters such as typhoons and tsunamis, reducing coastal damage and preventing beach erosion.

The climate crisis is causing significant damage to Pacific island countries, including Fiji, through sea level rise and coastal erosion. Mangrove forest restoration is recognized as a highly effective nature-based solution for climate crisis response and biodiversity conservation.

The funding for the mangrove forest restoration project under this agreement will be fully supported by SK. The funds will utilize points accumulated by visitors to the SK exhibition booth at CES 2023 held in Las Vegas, USA, in January this year. SK Innovation has continuously expanded its global carbon reduction efforts. Since planting the first mangroves in Ca Mau Province, southern Vietnam, in 2018, the total restored forest area in Southeast Asia, including Myanmar, has reached 226 hectares, with approximately 820,000 trees.

Sanjana Lal, Commissioner of the Fiji Department of Fisheries and Forestry, said, "This mangrove forest restoration project goes beyond simple environmental preservation; it embodies a commitment to a sustainable future," adding, "Together with SK Innovation and the Pacific Community, it will bring positive effects to Fiji."

Lim Soo-gil, Head of SK Innovation's Value Creation Center, stated, "Through the restoration of mangrove forests in Fiji in the South Pacific, we will achieve not only environmental value creation but also community co-prosperity," and added, "SK Innovation will promote various activities, including mangrove forest restoration projects, to ensure a sustainable Earth through the coexistence of humanity and nature."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.