Statement from the Government of Vietnam on World Mangrove Day 2017 On World Mangrove Day 2017, governments from tropical regions rich in mangrove habitat issued statements recognizing the important role these forests play in daily life and nature. Vietnam’s coastal ecosystems have been degraded for the last few decades, including mangrove forests with the total area falling from over 400,000 hectares in the 1940s to less than 150,000 hectares in 2000 before rising to about 200,000 hectares in 2006. This loss has been associated with increased coastal erosion, decrease in muddy sediment supply, aquaculture development and land reclamation. The degradation of mangrove forests reduces productivity of fisheries resources, coastal resilience to natural hazards and creates many other coastal environment problems. As Vietnam is now implementing ambitious plans to protect and restore mangrove forests, the support from the Global Mangrove Alliance (GMA) working in partnership with  Mangroves for the Future , of which Vietnam has been a member country since 2010, is welcome. Deputy Minister Nguyen Linh Ngoc Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), Vietnam

Statement from the Government of Cambodia on World Mangrove Day 2017. On World Mangrove Day 2017, governments from tropical regions rich in mangrove habitat issued statements recognizing the important role these forests play in daily life and nature. Cambodia has about 80,000 hectares of mangroves, which play an important role in coastal protection and local livelihoods.  Some mangroves forests have been heavily damaged by shrimp farming and charcoal production and there is a need for restoration.  There is clear recognition that effective mangrove restoration requires the cooperation of government agencies, local communities, NGOs, business sectors, and researchers. Operating through  Mangroves for the Future  (MFF), the Global Mangrove Alliance can provide valuable technical and financial assistance to help us achieve our mangrove restoration targets.  World Mangrove Day on 26 July 2017 underlines the importance of mangroves as “a unique, special and vulnerable ecosystem” and the need for collective protection and restoration from all partners, including MFF and the GMA. H.E. Vann Monyneath MFF/NCB Chairperson, ASEAN Working Group on Environmentally Sustainable Cities (AWGESC); and Deputy Secretary

The Global Mangrove Alliance announces target during the World Ocean Summit 2017 Bali, Indonesia, February 24, 2017 At the World Ocean Summit in Bali, Indonesia The Global Mangrove Alliance announced an initiative to increase mangrove habitats 20 percent by 2030. Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy and World Wildlife Fund will work together to build a global alliance and leverage the expertise, funding, knowledge, resources, diverse skills and networks of all members to amplify existing  efforts and increase attention to the critical role of mangroves in coastal ecosystems. The Alliance is developing a work plan based on consultations with experts on the ground around the world. Projects will be expanded locally, regionally and globally with communities, governments and private sector leaders committed  to halting and reversing mangrove forest loss, which already amounts to 50 percent of the world’s habitats over the past half  century. “People who live in and around mangroves benefit from their services but it’s important that people around the world realize the impact that mangrove habitats have on our planet,” said Maria Damanaki, Global Managing Director, Oceans at The Nature Conservancy. “The loss of these ecosystems could cause devastating effects to wildlife and humans alike and we need to start taking greater action now.” M angrove forests serve as a transition between marine and terrestrial environments, providing critical protection from the impacts of climate change including absorbing impact from wave energy and storm surges, adapting to rising sea levels and stabilizing shorelines from erosion. These forests also sequester and store atmospheric carbon, and thus play an important role in climate change mitigation. “Mangrove ecosystems are incredibly productive and biologically diverse and they sustain coastal communities and fisheries,” said Brad Ack, senior vice president of oceans for World Wildlife Fund. “Mangroves are vital to people and the planet. These coastal forests provide  critical habitat, protect shorelines and communities, sustain food security and mitigate against climate change.” Maria Damanaki, Global Managing Director, Oceans at The Nature Conservancy; Brad Ack, senior vice president of oceans for World Wildlife Fund; Greg Stone, Executive Vice President of Conservation International. Despite their critical importance for vulnerable coastal communities, roughly 1 percent of the world’s mangroves are destroyed each year. If this rate of loss continues, all unprotected mangroves could be lost in the next 100 years. There is work being done right now that is making a difference, but it’s not happening fast enough or at a scale that can overcome the continued annual rate of destruction. “Mangrove habitats are crucial to the sustainability of coastal ecosystems, but are decreasing at a staggering rate,” said Greg Stone, Executive Vice President of Conservation International. “Having three well-established conservation groups initially coordinating the Alliance gives us an upper hand in restoring mangroves to a proper state of health in a shorter period of time.” The Alliance recognizes the critical work already being done on mangrove conservation, restoration and resilience. That’s why its members will focus efforts on increasing awareness of the role of mangroves and global investments in coastal resilience and integrated coastal management. The Alliance will also prioritize work that builds the technical capacity necessary to successfully implement sound mangrove management and restoration.