World Ocean Day 2023 Mangroves are incredible for so many reasons, stemming from their ability to grow and thrive on the boundary of ocean and land. The trees’ unique adaptations to salinity make wherever they grow a vital haven for wildlife and an important resource for the hundreds of millions of people living near these ecosystems. Their importance to people and wildlife could not be any more clear this World Ocean Day as ever-growing impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss threaten our planet. The United Nations theme for World Ocean Day this year is “Planet Ocean: Tides are Changing”. The  Global Mangrove Alliance  could not agree more with this theme; we have to prioritize ocean issues and change the tide on loss. To accomplish that, our Alliance is working on a greater scale than ever before, supporting the Mangrove Breakthrough (see below), building out National Chapters, and looking for collaboration opportunities across sectors. The  Global Mangrove Watch , the evidence base informing our Alliance, was recently the key source of data for a  UNEP report on mangroves and experts around the world are working on new tools to advance our understanding of these trees and improve their management and restoration into our uncertain future. Continue reading our complete newsletter for more about the initiatives underway to protect and restore mangroves across our membership. Spotlight: Learn more about the Mangrove Breakthrough The Mangrove Breakthrough  is a community of action dedicated to sustainably managing and increasing mangrove cover by 2030 by catalyzing a USD 4 billion shared global goal. The Breakthrough is currently convened by the Global Mangrove Alliance and the UN Race to Resilience Climate Champions and coordinated by Systemiq. The Community of Action follows  nine guiding principles  and consists of civil society organizations, governments, and the private sector, all of whom implement action and projects to advance the Breakthrough. To align ambition, these endorsers commit to bold but achievable contributions toward shared science-based and measurable goals. By joining together we can accelerate to the pace needed to reach critical biodiversity and climate targets globally and avoid fragmentation. We can jointly ensure successful interventions that build on the best available science, best practices and lessons learnt, preventing common exacerbations to an already low survival rate by failure to reinstate functionality and connectivity of these vibrant ecosystems.  Read more. For more information on the work being done by our members, read our full newsletter,  available here .

The most important cartographic study on the evolution of mangroves in Madagascar. This study was conducted by Save our mangroves now! It is an international initiative that mobilizes policy makers and supports environmental actors to stop and reverse the loss of mangroves. Save our mangroves now! has a particular focus in the Western Indian Ocean, which includes Madagascar. The WWF, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation (BMZ) and Development and IUCN are the leaders of this initiative and the authors of this cartography, available for download here . Based on cartographic analyzes and aerial photographs , the results of this study are about the evolution of Madagascar’s mangroves from 1995 to 2018. What we learn from these scientific analyzes? For the most part, mangroves are declining everywhere in Madagascar! The total surface of ​​mangroves decreased from 294,387 ha in 2000 to just over 236,400 ha in 2018. Nevertheless, mangroves near marine or terrestrial protected areas are less impacted than others. Another important finding is that although the loss rates decreased over the years, the degradation increased. So, the degradation is the hidden loss. Also, and this is a milestone to this study, most of the areas where mangrove forests are managed by local communities are better in the whole country. In fact, WWF has partnered with local communities to protect and restore the mangroves since 2007, in the Menabe, Melaky and Diana regions. In total, 50,000 ha of mangroves have been successfully protected and over 2 million mangrove trees have been planted from 2007 to 2017. More importantly, sixteen community organizations from these regions are now actively engaged in the conservation of mangroves. They are supported by WWF and other conservation and development organizations within their region. To Nanie Ratsifandrihamanana, director of WWF Madagascar, “Future mangrove conservation efforts can only be sustained if scientific knowledge is kept up to date, adequate policies and legislations exist and best practices are scaled up effectively. ” This mapping provides an up-to-date overview of the extent and current status of mangroves on the island. We hope this will drive greater interest towards this unique ecosystem and strengthen the commitment to its conservation. Download the full study here . More information

Updates on mangroves as a nature-based solution. The threat of severe weather-related events that many countries will and are enduring due to climate change has motivated them to protect their natural defenses (i.e., ecosystems). Restoring ecosystems carries a huge payoff; for example, mangroves help the world avoid around US$80 billion a year in losses from floods and save additional billions in other ways. [1] Mangroves are beautiful, unique, and biologically rich ecosystems. They’re also vital to addressing climate change. Increasingly, countries are acknowledging this by incorporating mangroves in their climate change commitments. Under the Paris Agreement, each party is required to outline and communicate their climate actions, known as their nationally determined contributions (NDCs). [2] The idea behind NDCs is to acknowledge that countries have different resources, abilities, and circumstances. Each party designs its own pledge for meeting the Paris Agreement goals and includes the mitigation and adaptation measures that they will take to face climate change. Mitigation involves reducing the flow of heat-trapping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, either by reducing sources of these gases or enhancing the “sinks” that accumulate and store them, such as mangroves. Adaptation involves adjusting to actual or future climate to reduce vulnerability of harmful effects of climate change, like sea level rise. NDCs incorporate efforts by each country to reduce national emissions (i.e., mitigation) and adapt to the impacts of climate change. Many NDCs have included “nature-based solutions” (NBS) to tackle the climate crisis; NBS are “actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems, that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits.” The mangrove ecosystem is a prime example of a NBS because it stores up to five times as much organic carbon as tropical upland forests and protect coasts from erosion and severe climate events. Consequently, more and more countries have considered conserving and restoring mangroves as part of their NDCs. As of October 2021, 71 countries included coastal and marine NBS in their new or updated NDCs. NDCs submitted so far this year have continued the trend. Since November 2021, 16 countries have submitted new and updated versions of their NDCs and 10 of them have mangrove forests in their jurisdictions (i.e., Argentina, New Zealand, Comoro, Venezuela, Brazil, Guatemala, El Salvador, Mozambique, Republic of Korea, and Cote d’Ivoire). All but Brazil, New Zealand, and Ghana addressed mangroves in their updated NDCs directly or indirectly. Below are some examples of recently submitted new or updated NDCs which use mangrove as a NBS for mitigation and adaptation measures: Argentina’s second NDC includes as a mitigation plan the enhancement of policies to protect carbon-rich ecosystems such as forests, wetlands, and natural grasslands. Comoro’s updated NDC included in its “adaptation actions” the need to monitor and restore marine and coastal ecosystem and to extend its protected areas. Venezuela’s updated NDC submission proposes to restore mangroves to conserve biological diversity and to adapt for climate change events and mitigate its effects. Guatemala’s updated NDC included several goals focused on conserving and restoring the mangrove ecosystem. For example, “by 2025, at least 1,500 hectares of mangrove ecosystems will be restored and reforested, with the full participation of local communities, indigenous and Garífuna peoples, groups of women and youth.” Guatemala’s aim is to increase the adaptive capacity of the marine-coastal areas, contribute to maintaining the habitat and refuge of the biological diversity of fauna, improve food security and tourism, and increase forest carbon stocks and the potential for blue carbon. [14] El Salvador’s updated NDC aims to support sustainable agriculture by restoring mangrove ecosystems, among others. [15] It established as a national priority the conservation of forests and the sustainable management of ecosystems of natural protected areas, including mangroves, with special emphasis on building resilience at the landscape level and evaluating the effects of climate on the habitat of species and the structural and functional connectivity of ecosystems. [16] Mozambique’s NDC included the regeneration of mangroves as part of a goal to build resilience of fisheries. [17] It set a target to expand restored mangrove areas to 5,000 ha by 2025. [18] The updated NDC of the Republic of Korea does not mention mangroves explicitly, but it does include a goal to “maintain and improve its carbon sinks with sustainable forest management, conservation and restoration and increase forestlands by … creating new coastal and inland wetlands as well as vegetation in waterfront areas.” [19] Cote d’Ivore’s updated NDC included as one of its 2030 horizon objectives to consider the destructive action of humans on ecosystems such as mangroves, especially in relation to coastal areas where infrastructure is built. [20] Prior to these submissions, Argentina, Venezuela, Guatemala, El Salvador, and the Republic of Korea had not considered mangroves or NBS in their NDCs. Hence, the inclusion of mangroves and coastal ecosystems in these NDCs demonstrates a growing global recognition of the importance of mangrove forests to combatting climate change, both as an important source of carbon capture and as protection against severe climate-related weather events. It will be important for countries to keep considering them while updating their NDCs and to really commit their resources to protect them. Planting mangroves –or restoring their ecosystem– is much cheaper than building breakwaters, and the trees also improve the water quality, reduce storm surges, prevent coastal flooding, and protect fish habitats. [21] Therefore, the population of coastal countries must lobby for mangrove protection and aim to include them in their NDCs. I believe that there is still hope in the fight against climate change, but such responsibility must not remain solely in the hands of politicians; communities must engage in the enforcement of their NDCs by making sure NBS are at the core of these commitments. [1] BILL GATES, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need, (Alfred A. Knopf, 2021) at 172-173. [2] UNFCCC, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Last accessed 13 May 2022. [3] Global Climate Change, Responding to Climate Change, NASA . Last accessed 13 May 2022. [4] Ibid. [5] WORLD WILDLIFE FUND, NDCs – A Force of Nature? (4th Ed., November 2021) at 8. Last accessed 13 May 2022. [6] IUCN, Nature-based solutions . Last accessed 13 May 2022. [7] EMMA BARNES, Mangroves as a Solution to the Climate Crisis, World Wildlife Fund (4 January 2022). Last accessed 25 April 2022. [8] MARK CHATTING ET AL., Future Mangrove Carbon Storage Under Climate Change and Deforestation, Frontiers in Marine Science (10 February 2022). Last accessed 10 May 20222. [9] GLOBAL MANGROVE ALLIANCE, Are mangroves being included in Nationally Determined Contributions to the Paris Agreement ? Last accessed 10 May 2022. [10] WORLD WILDLIFE FUND, NDCs – A Force of Nature? Op. Cit., at 25. [11] Union of the Comoros, Contribution Determinee Au Niveau National (CDN actualisée), UNFCCC (5 November 2021) , at 9. Last accessed 10 May 2022. [12] Republic of Venezuela, Actualización de la Contribución Nacionalmente Determinada de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela para la lucha contra el Cambio Climático y sus efectos , UNFCCC (9 November 2021), at 151. Last accessed 10 May 2022. [13] Government of Guatemala – Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Contribución Nacionalmente Determinada Guatemala 2021 , UNFCCC (4 January 2022), at 44. Last accessed 1 May 2022. [14] Id., at 44-45. [15] Government of El Salvador– Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Contribuciones Nacionalmente Determinadas El Salvador 2021 , UNFCCC (4 January 2022), at 69 . Last accessed 1 May 2022. [16] Id., at 72. [17] Republic of Mozambique – Ministry of Land and Environment, Update of the First Nationally Determined Contribution to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (period 2020-2025), UNFCCC (27 December 2021), at 40, 41. Last accessed 1 May 2022. [18] Id., at 66-67. [19] R epublic of Korea, Submission under the Paris Agreement of the Republic of Korea’s Enhanced Update of its First Nationally Determined Contribution , UNFCCC (23 December 2021), at 3. Last accessed 1 May 2022. [20] Cote d’Ivoire, Contributions Prevues Determinees au niveau national de la Cote d’Ivoire , UNFCCC (9 May 2022), at 21. Last accessed 10 May 2022. [21] BILL GATES, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need, Op. Cit., at 172-173.

Research offers guidance on making mangrove conservation investments more sustainable and impactful Mangroves are under threat globally due to land conversion, overexploitation, and other human-induced stressors. Various stakeholders, including governments and NGOs, have been working on the conservation and restoration of mangrove ecosystems for years, yet with mixed results. Lack of sustainable finance, beyond an initial project implementation cycle, is often cited as a reason for long-term project failure.   A new report by the Save Our Mangroves Now! initiative, co-led by WWF-Germany and IUCN and supported by BMZ, provides guidance on making mangrove conservation investments more sustainable and impactful. As part of the study, the authors looked at the common successes and challenges linked to mangrove conservation and the business case for private sector to engage in conservation efforts   Mangroves provide valuable ecosystem services estimated to be worth thousands to tens of thousands of USD per hectare, and play an important role in climate change mitigation and adaptation. Investing in mangroves can deliver a number of environmental and social benefits. This is of great interest to governments wanting to reduce coastal damage and impact investors wanting to ‘do good’ while earning economic returns. Many of the benefits of mangroves are in cost-avoidance, while others can provide financial revenues, such as activities related to fisheries, the carbon market or tourism. Additionally, conservation of these ecosystems has also been shown to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other national and international environmental targets and commitments by sequestering green house gases as “blue carbon”. This can help fulfill the commitments to targets set by Convention on Biological Diversity Aichi targets and UNFCCC Paris Agreement.   Using case studies from on-going projects in Kenya (Mikoko Pamoja), Madagascar (Manambolo-Tsiribihina) and Viet Nam (Mangroves and Markets I), some common successes and challenging factors were identified to provide recommendations for future investments.   For current and future projects, this will mean investing effort in the project planning stages and embracing a longer timeframe to take advantage of the diverse benefits effective mangrove conservation can provide. To sustain mangrove management from a financial point of view, an increasingly promising and innovative option are emerging collaborations between non-profit and impact investors using approaches such as blended finance . In the future, new finance mechanisms and approaches, alongside new partnerships, have to be set up and strengthened to provide proof of concept. Global standards for mangrove conservation have to be improved, implemented and better monitored in the field.   The study and full report is available online alongside a summary brochure .   For more information contact: Raphaelle Flint ( Raphaelle.flint@iucn.org ) and Dorothée Herr (Dorothee.Herr@iucn.org).

Thoughts on the 2018 Ramsar COP from Dorothee Herr, IUCN Global Marine Program The Ramsar Secretary General and the IUCN Director General invited Parties and Delegates to the Ramsar COP13 to a special side event “ UN Ocean Conference Community of Ocean Action on Mangroves: Progress and Opportunities ”. The Ramsar Secretariat and IUCN Director General both serve as focal points for the SDG 14 Mangrove Community of Ocean Action . The event was supported by Save our Mangroves Now!, a joint mangrove initiative from BMZ, WWF Germany, and IUCN.   Opening remarks were made by Ambassador Peter Thomson, UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean, Martha Rojas Urrego, Ramsar Convention Secretary General, , Stewart Maginnis, Global Director – Nature-based Solutions Group(IUCN) . and Elizabeth Marema, Law and Conventions Division UNEP. Left to right: Elizabeth Mrema, UNEP; Peter Thomson, UN Special Envoy for the Ocean; Martha Rojas Urrego, Ramsar Secretary General; and Stewart Maginnis, Global Director IUCN. Photo by IISD/ENB | Francis Dejon Ambassador Thomson highlighted the critical role of mangrove ecosystems for coastal and ocean resilience and described the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands as the heartland to support actions for the Community of Ocean Action on mangroves conservation. He encouraged the submission of new voluntary commitments, and urged countries and other stakeholders to update existing ones.   Government representatives from Australia, Brazil, Fiji and Sweden presented insights from already existing voluntary commitments, including actions on restoration, protection and on blue carbon.   Honduras on behalf of the fourteen countries of the Ramsar Regional Initiative for the Conservation and Wise Use of Mangroves and Coral Reefs (Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, and Venezuela) described this Initiative and intend to submit it as a new voluntary commitment under SDG 14. The main actions of the initiative include the development of policies and regulations to promote the protection and conservation of mangroves and coral reefs and achieve their effective management through integrated management of watersheds and marine/coastal areas.   The Regional Partnership for the Conservation of the Coastal and Marine Zone of West Africa (Cabo Verde, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Mauritania, Senegal, Sierra Leone) also expressed the goal to submit their work as a voluntary commitment under the UN Ocean Conference Community of Ocean Action on Mangroves. This partnership works on the mobilization of stakeholder awareness and exchange of good practices on the coastal erosion and coastal risk management and the protection of coastal and marine wetlands.   The event underlined the crucial opportunities that the Communities of Ocean Action provides to follow up on the Voluntary Commitments made during the Oceans Conference in June 2017. The event showcased a lot of action and enthusiasm in terms of mangrove conservation, yet the community has and need to offer more.   A mid-term assessment on the submitted and updated Voluntary Commitments is due end of this year.   Left to right:  Ahmed Senhoury , Regional Partnership Initiative of Mangroves and Coral Reefs for Marine and Coastal Conservation in West Africa (PRCM);  Carolina Montalván , Ramsar Regional;  Ana Paula Leite Prates, Brazil; Michael Löfroth , Sweden;  Sandeep Singh , Fiji; Mark Taylor, Australia See more at http://enb.iisd.org/ramsar/cop13/ Twitter @RamsarConv Facebook: @RamsarConventionOnwetlands Instagram: @ Ramsar_Convention_on_wetlands

Combining local and national initiatives to increase efficiency across an ecoregion. Development of a strategy for the conservation and management of mangroves in the Mesoamerican reef ecoregion, a participatory approach led by MAR Fund and the Smithsonian Institution. Written by María José Gonzalez (MAR Fund) and Steven Canty (Smithsonian Institution) resumen en español. The “Regional Strategy for Mangrove Management, Conservation, Restoration and Monitoring in the Mesoamerican Reef 2020-2025” is a guiding platform for shared actions across the four countries that make up the Mesoamerican reef (MAR) ecoregion, Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras. These actions, coordinated and agreed upon between different key stakeholders of the region, will enable the achievement of realistic and effective conservation goals. A strategic framework promotes coordinated and collaborative actions in the MAR ecoregion. The specific objectives of the strategy are: “Manage, conserve, restore and monitor the mangrove ecosystem in the MAR ecoregion.” “Promote sustainable livelihoods that reduce stress on the mangrove ecosystem.” © María José Gonzalez / MAR Fund “Promote the effective application of legal frameworks that protect the mangrove ecosystem through strengthening of institutions and key stakeholders.” “Strengthen the governance and effective participation of all sectors that are linked to the mangrove ecosystem in the MAR ecoregion.” “Develop a knowledge management, monitoring, and surveillance system of the mangrove ecosystem that feeds the decision-making process of stakeholders in the region.” “Ensure financial resources for the implementation of the strategy, including instruments that promote equity and multiculturality in the MAR ecoregion.” The strategy is available in   English  and  Spanish .

World Wetlands Day 2023 Since our formation, the Global Mangrove Alliance has been an ardent advocate of science-based restoration and protection of mangrove ecosystems. It’s why we co-launched the Mangrove Breakthrough with the UN Climate Champions and 30 other endorsers at the UNFCCC COP27 in November and are expanding our active network through National Chapters, Working Groups, and Membership. Today is Wetlands Day and the theme, determined by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, is “it’s time for wetland restoration”. It is always time for restoration, but as 2030 climate and biodiversity targets draw closer, it’s critical that we keep moving forward on existing efforts and scale up new initiatives to reach our lofty, but achievable, goals. To keep up momentum, our Alliance is continually adding to our suite of global and regional best practice materials for restoring and protecting forests. They are freely available and we encourage their use. They include: Tool: Global Mangrove Watch Brief: Integrating Mangroves into NDCs Brief: Supporting implementation under Ramsar through the Global Mangrove Watch For more policy briefs and implementation guides, look through our Knowledge Hub . In the coming months, our Alliance will be sharing more about implementing the Mangrove Breakthrough, furthering action on the ground, and scaling up our work to reach our 2030 goals.

Wetlands Day 2022 Wetlands Action for People and Nature.  Today’s Wetlands Day theme, chosen by the Convention on Wetlands Secretariat, is an apt one. Wetlands around the world are under the threat of destruction from infrastructure development, resource extraction, and climate change. As a result, an incredible range of biodiversity, such as the  tigers in the Sundarbans , and human lives and livelihoods are at risk. Mangrove ecosystems are unfortunately no exception. There are still news stories every month of mangroves being cut down or damaged by extreme weather events, like 2021 hurricanes  Eta and Iota . However, there is reason for optimism. Deforestation and destruction have slowed in recent years and we continue to gain clearer understanding of mangroves, as evidenced in  The State of the World’s Mangroves  report. By protecting these coastal trees, all the benefits of mangroves to people and nature are preserved. Additionally, mangroves’ powerful ability to store tons of carbon out of the atmosphere provides a needed boost towards efforts to slow climate change. Our Alliance has been taking action to protect and restore mangrove ecosystems around the world since 2018 by developing science, policy change, sustainable financing, and local capacity, and by supporting alternate livelihoods. You can take action and help us in our mission to save mangroves this Wetlands Day through the following: Fill out the IUCN Mangrove Specialist Group’s  Mangrove Priority Questions survey  and tell us your priorities in mangrove science and management. For scientists, managers, and policy/decision-makers Visit the  Global Mangrove Watch  platform and learn about the power of mangrove wetlands around the world. Use our  Tools & Resources hub  to discover techniques and strategies for funding and restoring long-term restoration and conservation projects in mangrove forests. Keep up with the latest mangrove news on our  Twitter ,  LinkedIn , and  Facebook  pages. Read our member initiative updates in our full newsletter for more actions you can take and to learn about ongoing projects. © WWF / Martina Lippuner

Governments can do better on climate by making mangroves part of the solution Only 1 in 3 mangrove countries account for them in nationally determined contributions. That’s an opportunity ripe for climate action. The United Nations  calls Nationally Determined Contributions, or NDCs, “the heart of the Paris Agreement.” These commitments set out how each government will help its people adapt to climate change and what will be done to reduce emissions. And mangroves have a role to play. deforestation of mangroves between 2000 and 2012 emitted as much CO2 as roughly 69 million cars produce annually While it is true that mangrove trees cover a much smaller area than tropical forests, mangroves can sequester up to 3-4 more carbon on an area basis than their terrestrial counterparts. The deforestation of mangroves between 2000 and 2012 emitted as much CO2 as roughly 69 million cars produce annually ( this is my own “back of the envelope” calculation and by no means scientifically robust, just for some perspective ). But of the 110+ countries with mangroves only 28 countries’ NDCs include a reference to coastal wetlands in terms of mitigation , while 59 countries include coastal ecosystems and the coastal zone into their adaptation strategies . According to an article published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America , wetlands offer 14% of the mitigation potential from nature and 19% of “natural climate solutions.” As the world convenes for an urgently needed  Climate Change Conference in Katowice, Poland, government officials have an opportunity to lead the charge toward reversing mangrove declines. It’s part of the climate solution, provides protection for biodiversity, and reinforces the security of millions living in coastal communities.

2021 Press Release New report shows slowdown in mangrove losses–providing a ‘last best chance’ for global action to protect coastal forests. JULY 26—Today the Global Mangrove Alliance released their inaugural report, The State of the World’s Mangroves , a compilation of the most current information available on what we know about mangrove forests and what’s being done to reverse the downward trends impacting the forests and the local communities who depend on them. Due primarily to human-caused deforestation, some 4.3% of mangroves were lost globally in the two decades leading up to 2016, with much larger losses prior to that. Today there are 136,000km2 of mangroves remaining world-wide—an area about the size of Costa Rica—and nearly 20% of these forests are found in Indonesia. This publication represents a remarkable synthesis, 100 authors from around the world (over 40 locales) have come together, sharing cutting edge science and compelling stories. The narrative they tell, for the first time, is that we now have the knowledge to turn things around for these critical ecosystems. We know the problems, but we also know the solutions. The challenge is turning these solutions into actions, by swaying leaders at all levels of society to protect the mangroves still standing and restore what has been lost. “We are at a nexus. Science has provided us with compelling numbers describing the immense value of mangroves to people – for carbon, climate adaptation, fish, timber, coastal protection, tourism, and more. The State of the World’s Mangroves report lays a clear message for world leaders convening on climate and biodiversity. Mangroves are a great asset but if we fail to properly value and protect them, we’ll lose more than any financial investment that’s been made in mangroves to date. This is our last best chance to create positive, lasting change,” said Mark Spalding , Lead Marine Scientist for The Nature Conservancy. The State of the World’s Mangroves draws on maps from Global Mangrove Watch , an online platform that provides access to a variety of datasets detailing mangrove values, threats and opportunities for conservation and restoration. The report’s highlights: Humans are responsible for over 60% of mangrove loss. Primary causes include conversion to farmland, agriculture and/ or urbanization Around 42% of all remaining mangroves exist in designated protected areas 341 threatened species depend on mangrove habitat Some 4.1 million small-scale fishers depend on mangroves Mangroves prevent more than $65 billion in property damages from storms and reduce flood risk to some 15 million people every year Mangroves are the most efficient carbon capture and storage systems on the planet. They currently store carbon that’s equivalent to over 21 billion tons of CO2 UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean Ambassador Peter Thomson wrote the report’s foreword warning how quickly mangroves could be lost beyond our ability to bring them back. “If their demise is a crime against nature, then surely it’s also a crime against the best interests of humanity,” Ambassador Thomson warned. “In sharing the challenges confronting coastal communities, and working together for coastal resilience, the Global Mangrove Alliance will no doubt play an important role in both the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, both of which got underway this year.” he added. “Conserving and restoring mangroves at scale depends on collaboration, and innovative partnerships like this one are critical to meeting the global challenge. By directly linking the needs and the experiences of local and indigenous peoples with cutting-edge science, together we can help drive the most forward-thinking national and international policies,” said Karen Douthwaite , Lead Specialist, Oceans for WWF. “This publication has raised the voices of coastal communities, who often have the most to lose from mangrove loss but also have the most to contribute towards long term mangrove management and restoration. These communities have built up a wealth of knowledge of how to manage, protect, and restore mangroves. By working with communities, we can safeguard and restore the world’s mangroves and improved the livelihoods of coastal people” said Leah Glass, Technical Advisor for Mangroves and Blue Carbon for Blue Ventures. The Global Mangrove Alliance released the report in anticipation of critical convenings including the IUCN World Conservation Congress, Convention on Biological Diversity COP15, and the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP26. Alliance members are calling on local and national government leaders to accelerate their efforts to protect and restore mangroves and challenging the private sector to increase investment in keeping mangroves standing. Read the full report here . About the GMA In 2018, Conservation International (CI), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Wetlands International, and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) formed the Global Mangrove Alliance (GMA). Today, over 25 member organizations share the twin goals of restoring and recovering 50% of recent mangrove loss and doubling the area of mangroves under effective and equitable protection and management.

New report shows greater mangrove coverage than previously known; but efforts still must maintain momentum against irreversible climate change by restoring, halting loss, and protecting remaining forest. September 21, 2022 —Today the Global Mangrove Alliance (GMA) released their annual report, The State of the World’s Mangroves 2022 , a compilation of the most current information available on what we know about mangrove forests and what’s being done to reverse the downward trends impacting the coastal trees and the local communities who depend on them. We now have access to more extensive and reliable knowledge via data updates to Global Mangrove Watch maps–the evidence base informing the Global Mangrove Alliance–that brings coverage from 2016 up to 2020. With this new insight, we can now say that there are 147,000km2 of mangroves remaining worldwide, an area about the size of Bangladesh. The same maps show loss and gains over time. A net 5,245km2 of mangrove forest has been lost since 1996, driven by a combination of direct human impacts such as clearance and conversion, but also by harder to manage changes driven by erosion, inundation, or storms. While average losses over the last decade have fallen to 0.04% per year and there have been considerable gains in river mouths and deltas, action is still a priority to halt further loss, protect what remains, and restore what has been lost. Determination to safeguard mangroves is growing at all levels of society but more can still be done. It is increasingly clear that national and local stakeholders will be the catalyst in implementing improved management, conservation, and restoration of mangroves. This understanding has led the GMA to develop a new initiative, National Chapters. Chapters in eight countries are now bringing together GMA members and local partners on the ground with the ambition to connect the broader GMA goals to a targeted local context. “The 2022 edition of The State of the World’s Mangroves describes a surge in our understanding of mangroves globally and multiple points of hope: mangrove loss is declining, we know more about protecting these ecosystems than ever before, and partnerships and global awareness are ever stronger. The tide has yet to turn on loss but we are dedicated to maintaining momentum to support mangrove forests to minimize the impacts of irreversible climate change and the wider biodiversity crisis.” said Mark Spalding, Senior Marine Scientist for The Nature Conservancy. The report’s highlights: Preventing just 1% of mangrove loss results in two hundred million tons of carbon locked away. Restoration of losses since 1996 could safeguard carbon in soil and aboveground biomass equivalent to 1.27gigatons of CO2– equating to over 520 million barrels of oil, or the annual emissions of 49 million cars in the USA. The GMA goal of “restoring half” of the 8,183km2 of restorable area by 2030, particularly in Southeast Asia, could result in an additional 25 billion commercial marine fish and shellfish and benefit 1 million small-scale fishers and countless communities that rely on mangroves for their livelihoods. Mangroves prevent more than $65 billion in property damages from storms and reduce flood risk to some 15 million people every year Mangroves are the most efficient carbon capture and storage systems on the planet. They currently store carbon that’s equivalent to over 21 billion tons of CO2 Nigel Topping and Mahmoud Mohieldin, High Level Climate Champions appointed under the UN Climate Convention, wrote the The State of the World’s Mangroves’ foreword, stating:“This scientific report is clear: if we want to implement the promises made at COP26 and raise the level of ambition to meet the Paris Agreement, we must look to mangroves. The climate and the adaptive capacity and resilience of millions of people living on the coasts depend on it.” Nadia Bood, Senior Program Officer, Marine Science and Climate Change with WWF-Mesoamerica and co-lead of the GMA Belize National Chapter said:“Mangroves are coastal guardians and cost-effective nature-based solutions for climate mitigation and adaptation. Collaboration and innovative partnerships at both the global level through the Global Mangrove Alliance and local level through the Belize National Chapter are critical to meeting national and global climate and biodiversity goals.” Lammert Hilarides, Senior Technical Officer with Wetlands International said:“We understand the benefits of healthy mangrove ecosystems for climate mitigation and resilience against extreme weather. We know where mangroves are most at risk and where they can best be restored, and we know how to revitalize them by using the principles of ‘ecological mangrove restoration’ and local knowledge. We just need the political and financial will, with all hands on deck, to safeguard and intelligently restore these incredibly valuable ecosystems for the good of humanity and nature.” The Global Mangrove Alliance released the report in anticipation of critical convenings including, New York climate week, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, the UNFCCC climate COP27, and Convention on Biological Diversity COP16. Alliance members are calling on local and national government leaders to accelerate their efforts to protect and restore mangroves and challenging the private sector to increase investment in keeping mangroves standing. About the GMA In 2018, Conservation International (CI), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Wetlands International (WI), and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) formed the Global Mangrove Alliance (GMA). Today, over 30 member organizations share a goal that brings together three critical strands of mangrove conservation: 1. Halt loss. Reduce net mangrove losses driven by direct human actions to zero. 2. Restore half. Put back mangroves to cover at least half of all recent loss. 3. Double protection. Ensure long-term secure protection is increased from 40% to 80% of remaining mangroves.

This Earth Day arrives amid conflict and global health and climate crises. Still, there are continued glimmers of hope for the future of our planet. In the last few months, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has released two intermediary reports on the state of global climate. Overall outcomes look dire, however, there is still time to limit climate change to 1.5°C if immediate action is taken to restore and protect ecosystems, reduce carbon emissions, and improve energy efficiency. Mangrove ecosystems are mentioned in both reports, highlighted as strong nature-based solutions to help wildlife and communities mitigate and adapt to climate change, but also as at-risk for climate change related impacts like sea level rise and groundwater salinization. So how do we keep climate change to 1.5°C, invest in our ecosystems, protect and restore mangroves, and sustain benefits for people and nature? The good news is that we have the best science knowledge to date, and more people and organizations committed to slowing climate change than ever before. In the Global Mangrove Alliance  Knowledge Hub  alone, we have almost 200 resources, from fact sheets and infographics to policy and management guidelines that detail best practices and case studies from around the world. Some of our resources include: The  Global Mangrove Watch  data mapping platform, containing data on mangrove extent, change, blue carbon and more, Restoration manuals, like  this one  for the Mesoamerican region, and Guiding principles  on sustainable mangrove ecosystem management for policy decision-makers. This summer, we’ll share updates on a new tool to improve mangrove management and restoration, an update to The State of the World’s Mangroves report series, and a look ahead to the full IPCC Synthesis Report and the UNFCCC COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. Read the full Earth Day newsletter here .