Released by the Global Mangrove Alliance on World Mangrove Day (26 July 2024), the report provides a comprehensive assessment of global mangrove ecosystems, highlighting their critical status, threats, and urgent conservation needs.
Key Findings
1. Global Distribution & Hotspots
- Southeast Asia Dominates:
- Holds ~33% of the world’s mangroves, with Indonesia alone accounting for 21% (3.3 million hectares).
- Other key regions: West and Central Africa (15%), South Asia (8%), and Latin America (13%).
- India’s Mangroves:
- Lakshadweep Archipelago and Tamil Nadu Coast classified as “Critically Endangered” due to coastal development and pollution.
- Sundarbans (India-Bangladesh) remains a vital but vulnerable mangrove stronghold.
2. Threat Status
- IUCN Red List of Mangrove Ecosystems:
- 50% of mangrove provinces globally are threatened (Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered).
- 34% of mangrove species face extinction risks due to habitat loss and climate change.
3. Drivers of Mangrove Loss (2000–2020)
- Climate Change:
- Sea-level rise: Mangroves cannot migrate inland fast enough due to coastal infrastructure.
- Increased storm intensity: Destroys mangrove buffers (e.g., cyclones in the Bay of Bengal).
- Human Activities:
- Industrial Shrimp Aquaculture: Responsible for ~30% of global mangrove loss, notably in Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and Gujarat (India).
- Agriculture: 43% of mangrove loss linked to conversion for oil palm plantations (Indonesia, Malaysia) and rice cultivation (West Africa).
- Urbanization & Pollution: Coastal development, oil spills, and plastic waste degrade mangrove health.
Ecological & Economic Significance
- Carbon Sequestration: Mangroves store 4–5x more carbon per hectare than tropical forests.
- Coastal Protection: Reduce wave energy by 70–90%, preventing $65 billion annually in flood damages.
- Biodiversity: Nurseries for 75% of tropical fish, supporting livelihoods for 120 million people.
Conservation Efforts & Challenges
- Global Mangrove Alliance (GMA): Aims to restore 50% of lost mangroves by 2040 through initiatives like the Mangrove Breakthrough.
- India’s Actions:
- MISHTI Scheme: Focuses on mangrove afforestation in coastal states.
- Community-Led Restoration: In Tamil Nadu and Odisha, involving local fisher communities.
- Barriers:
- Funding Gaps: Only 1-2% of climate finance targets mangrove conservation.
- Policy Conflicts: Competing interests between aquaculture, tourism, and conservation.
Recommendations
- Protect Existing Mangroves: Strengthen legal frameworks (e.g., enforce Coastal Regulation Zones).
- Ecosystem-Based Adaptation: Integrate mangroves into national climate plans (NDCs).
- Sustainable Livelihoods: Promote blue carbon credits and eco-tourism to incentivize conservation.
- Global Collaboration: Scale up funding through partnerships like the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
Conclusion
Mangroves are among Earth’s most productive yet threatened ecosystems. The 2024 report underscores the need for urgent, coordinated action to halt their decline. Protecting mangroves is not just an ecological imperative but a socioeconomic one, vital for climate resilience, food security, and coastal communities’ survival.
