“Mangroves are much more than natural wonders,” declared UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay. They are unique, special and vulnerable ecosystems.
Mangroves are found in tropical and subtropical regions, at the edge between land and sea.
They are home to a spectacular diversity of fauna and flora and provide food security for local communities. They supply forest products and support fishing. Some 75% of commercial fish species spend part of their lives in these coastal areas.
Mangroves protect coastlines from erosion and extreme weather, and help maintain water quality by filtering nutrients and sediments.
Carbon trap
Mangrove forests also help to tackle climate change. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the world’s mangrove forests retain up to 22.8 million tonnes of carbon in their roots, trunks and soil each year.
Compared to other land-based trees and forests, a single mangrove forest has a tenfold capacity to suck up carbon emissions. Protecting and enhancing these forests helps remove and maintain carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
“Coastal ecosystems, such as mangroves, seaweed and wetlands, are being degraded. Almost 80% of sewage is discharged into the sea without treatment. And some 8 million tonnes of plastic waste enter the oceans every year. If no drastic action is taken, this plastic could outweigh all the fish in the oceans by 2050,” warned António Guterres in his opening speech for the Oceans Conference on 27 June, 2022.
40% of mangroves have disappeared
UNESCO estimates that between 1980 and 2005, some countries have lost more than 40% of mangroves, often as a result of coastal development.
Besides the effects of climate change, such as rising sea levels and temperatures, mangrove forests are being depleted as their wood is prized by coastal communities for construction, fuel and even as material for medicines
Uncontrolled coastal urbanisation and unsustainable agricultural and aquaculture practices add to the long list of challenges.
Nevertheless, according to Audrey Azoulay, “the world is becoming aware of the importance of mangroves. This awareness allows the progressive achievement of the different Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) indicating the way forward in the preservation of this ecosystem.
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