Coastal Wetlands and Mangroves: A Natural Climate Solution Pathway to Climate Change
Published on:
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Coastal resilience
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Coastal wetland conservation
A joint submission to the Talanoa Dialogue by the Global Mangrove Alliance, founded by Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy, Wetlands International, World Wildlife Fund, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature, to build a global moment to jointly work towards the ambitious goal of increasing global mangrove cover by 20% in 2030.
Key Messages:
- Mangrove restoration is an underutilized natural climate solution, as mangroves and other terrestrial and coastal ecosystems are an important sink and natural tool for climate mitigation. Many countries can demonstrate more ambitious efforts to address climate change by strengthening their NDCs with more information on mangrove restoration activities and related detailed mitigation targets in 2020.
- Adaptation is another contribution to the climate solution that mangrove ecosystems play in their communities. Mangrove forests provide critical ecosystem services, such as coastal protection and food security. Enhancing ambition can also include strengthening the adaptation section of an NDC utilizing ecosystem-based adaptation in policies and plans.
- Mangrove restoration may be considered a win-win investment, providing mitigation and adaptation solutions to climate change while also supporting the implementation of other international pledges and agreements for the SDG Agenda 2030.
- There is an urgent need for coordinated partnerships that ensure good science, sound environmental policies and practices, and adequate funding in place for the enhancement, restoration and protection of natural climate solutions. One example is the Global Mangrove Alliance which provides a platform to take action on mangrove conservation and restoration towards climate mitigation and adaptation.
- Natural climate solutions can play a key role in achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement, and is a largely untapped area of mitigation potential in current NDCs thus providing an opportunity for enhanced commitment and action.