Decades of Mangrove Forest Change: What does it mean for nature, people and the climate? reviews the extent of mangrove forest cover and considers the potential consequences of changes in mangrove extent for more than 1,000 mangrove associated species including birds, fish, plants, mammals, reptiles and amphibians.
Further, the report analyses the potential consequences of changes in mangrove extent on carbon storage and for small scale fishers, demonstrating that restoration is clearly needed but showcases encouraging examples of mangrove recovery.
The report highlights the need to improve our knowledge of what species use and depend upon mangroves in order to better understand the consequences of changes in mangroves on people and our natural world. It also emphasises the need for integrated thinking, by conserving, restoring and sustainably managing mangrove ecosystems in a coherent and inclusive way, and coordinating management and governance actions across local, national, regional and international scales.
We urgently need to transform our relationship with nature and transition to a more equitable and sustainable future in which activities that result in ecosystem loss and degradation are a thing of the past.
Further Resources
- UNEP's spotlight on nature and biodiversity
- SDG 6.6.1 (sdg661.app)
- The Guidelines on Mangrove Restoration for the Western Indian Ocean Region | UNEP
- The-State-of-the-Worlds-Mangroves-2021-FINAL-1.pdf (mangrovealliance.org)
- The Magic Of Mangroves - The Ocean Agency
- Global Mangrove Watch
- The Mangrove Breakthrough
- Mangroves for the Future - Investing in coastal ecosystems
