Mangroves and climate change

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Mangroves are found in 123 nations and territories, but they represent less than 0.4% of the total of the world’s forested areas.

🌊They support biodiversity, promote food security, and hold cultural, recreational and spiritual value. Their complex structures protect our coasts from storm surges and erosion. And, they absorb chemical pollution and trap sediments in their root systems – protecting sensitive marine habitats like corals from the impacts of coastal run-off.

🚗They’re also heavy lifters in the fight against climate change – one hectare of mangroves can sequester the same amount of carbon emitted by over 2650 cars per year, and can capture carbon at 40x the rate of terrestrial forests.

🚜But, mangrove forests have suffered massive losses around the world and are still under threat. Today, more than 75% of remaining mangrove forests are threatened by human activities like land use change (e.g., converting forested land to agriculture/aquaculture) and urban development.

💣When they’re destroyed or degraded, they release their trapped carbon – effectively setting off a carbon bomb. Despite making up such a small percentage of forests worldwide, mangrove deforestation is estimated to contribute to 10% of total emissions from deforestation activities.

🌱So, it’s more important than ever to protect the mangroves we still have and increase our efforts to restore the mangroves we’ve lost.

#WorldMangroveDay is a chance to raise awareness of these amazing but vulnerable ecosystems. Thankyou to the communities and organisations worldwide that are rising to the challenge of protecting, restoring, and celebrating our precious mangroves.

Learn more at https://lnkd.in/e5nw-R6E

For information on the mangrove mapping and restoration programs Blue Carbon Lab is working on visit www.bluecarbonlab.org