'Brazilian Blue Initiative' to promote protected areas
GMA welcomes commitment from Government of Brazil to protect nature and livelihoods, and promote the sustainable use and restoration of mangroves.
8 March 2018
The Global Mangrove Alliance (GMA) applauds the Government of Brazil for its recently announced Brazilian Blue Initiative, which aims to promote the protection of the country’s coastlines and waters in the face of a changing climate. Mangrove forest ecosystems are some of the most productive on earth and line the coasts of 106 countries. These forests make up approximately 15.2 million hectares of land mass and their fate is directly tied to the fate of the coastal communities living around or behind them. To address the growing and urgent threat of climate change there is a compelling body of evidence pointing to the role mangroves can play in climate mitigation, coastal protection, and fisheries provisions, in addition to biodiversity conservation.
wide-ranging support and partnerships will be essential to the success of this initiative
Brazil is a country with enormous mangrove coverage – approximately 1.4 million hectares – as well as a country that has demonstrated global leadership in forest protection and conservation. Currently, more than 85% of Brazilian mangroves are in protected areas. The Brazilian Blue Initiative is a strategic framework to promote partnerships, projects, and other actions that help implement and effectively manage protected areas, including those places yet to be formally declared.
The GMA looks forward to supporting the Government of Brazil with the implementation of the Brazilian Blue Initiative, with a focus on promoting enhanced protection, livelihoods, and the sustainable use and restoration of mangroves. As wide-ranging support and partnerships will be essential to the success of this initiative, promoting exchanges and learning with other countries will also be a priority for the GMA.
© WWF-Brazil / Adriano Gambarini
Our Alliance is an unprecedented collaboration that brings together NGOs, governments, industry, local communities and funders towards a common goal: to increase the global area of mangrove habitat 20% over current extent by the year 2030. The founding members include Conservation International, IUCN, The Nature Conservancy, Wetlands International and World Wildlife Fund. The Alliance brings together technical experts, civil society organizations, governments, local communities, businesses, funding agencies and foundations to accelerate a comprehensive, coordinated, global approach to mangrove conservation and restoration at a scale that matters.
For more information, please contact Michael Crispino.
