World Bank Report Says Conserving Mangroves Can Help Fight Climate Change

Conserving and restoring blue carbon ecosystems, such as mangroves and seagrasses which capture more carbon than forests, can help fight climate change.

IDXChannel - Conserving and restoring blue carbon ecosystems, such as mangroves and seagrasses, which capture more carbon than forests, can help fight climate change, create meaningful jobs, and improve people’s quality of life, says a new World Bank report.

Unlocking Blue Carbon Development, financed by the multi-donor trust fund PROBLUE, reveals that blue carbon storage in coastal and marine ecosystems, from mangroves to seagrass, is a powerful tool in the fight against climate change. 

For example, stopping seagrass destruction and degradation worldwide could save up to 650 million tons of CO2 emissions annually, roughly equivalent to the entire annual emissions of the global shipping industry.

“Investing in saving and replenishing mangroves, seagrasses, and other natural blue carbon storage systems can support a world free of poverty on a livable planet,” said Valerie Hickey, World Bank Global Director for Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy, in a media release on Tuesday (21/11/2023).

“These ecosystems not only store carbon, but also provide a multitude of benefits, including supporting fisheries and food security, promoting tourism and jobs, helping to protect coastal communities from climate disasters, and providing natural habitats for wildlife," Hickey added.

Blue carbon ecosystems demonstrate how development, climate, and nature work together to feed, protect, empower, and uplift communities. An estimated 4.1 million small-scale fishers globally rely on mangroves for fishing. Mangroves also protect more than six million people from annual flooding and prevent additional annual losses of USD24 billion of productive assets.

The report notes that despite these staggering benefits, blue carbon ecosystems have been eroded. More than 50 percent of the world’s original salt marshes were lost during the twentieth century and this degradation continues to date. 

“People don’t realize how powerful these carbon sinks are – they store five times more carbon than forests,” said Michele Diez, Senior Environmental Specialist and Program Manager of PROBLUE. 

“If disturbed, the carbon that has been stored in these ecosystems for thousands of years will be released in the atmosphere –with harmful impacts to our climate. The time is now for governments to invest in these powerful ecosystems. The World Bank is ready to support our partners to invest in a livable planet," Diez stated. (WHY)