By Marco Lopez
July 26, 2024
Almost a quarter of the mangrove cover in the Wider Caribbean region (Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, and North Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystems) was lost over the past 25 years. Close to 26% of the global mangrove cover is in this region.
According to UNESCO, mangroves are disappearing three to five times faster than overall global forests. Current estimates indicate that mangrove cover has been divided by two in the past 40 years.
Mangroves are extraordinary ecosystems that are vital partners in addressing climate change, yet they remain in danger. A healthy mangrove ecosystem provides both climate adaptation and mitigation services. Protecting coastal communities from storm surges, rising seas, and erosion are just some ecosystem services they provide. Mangroves are among the most effective natural carbon-capture ecosystems in the world.
Mangrove forests are blue carbon ecosystems. They are highlighted as important for their capacity to store carbon in their leaves, branches, trunks, roots, and especially the soil. One hectare of mangroves can store 3,754 tons of carbon. This would be like taking over 2,650 cars off the road for a year.
While mangroves can be found in 123 countries and territories, they represent just 1 % of all tropical forests and less than 0.4% of the total global forest. Despite this, mangroves store up to five times as much organic carbon as tropical forests – making them more effective carbon storage ecosystems. They also sequester more carbon than other types of forests. According to NOAA, mangroves and coastal wetlands annually sequester carbon at a rate ten times greater than mature tropical forests.
Mangroves are no doubt nature’s carbon storehouse. But with this great ability, comes great drawbacks.
According to one study, greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from mangrove deforestation globally may generate as much as 10% of emissions from all forms of deforestation globally, despite mangrove forests accounting for just 0.7% of tropical forested areas.
Protecting and restoring mangrove ecosystems fosters a nature-based approach to climate adaptation and mitigation. Viewing these ecosystems as already developed as opposed to underdeveloped areas will allow coastal communities to tap into the blue carbon potential and continue to benefit from the other ecosystem services they offer.
Building Climate Resilience in the Caribbean
For the Caribbean, a region at the frontlines of climate change, the climate adaptation and mitigation benefits mangrove ecosystems offer are vital. The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) through the support of Global Affairs Canada (GAC) has embarked on a project geared towards transforming the management of coastal ecosystems to ensure the services they provide are sustained.
The Enhancing Eco-systems and Coastal Protection for Climate Change Resilience in the Caribbean (ECP-Caribbean) seeks to increase the climate resilience of people and communities in Belize, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Suriname.
Mr. Ramon Carcamo is the Ecosystems Specialist at the CCCCC. He works closely with the ECP- Caribbean project to support its implementation and overall goal to safeguard and restore mangrove ecosystems in beneficiary countries. On July 18 and 19, 2024, the first of a series National Stakeholder Workshops for the ECP Caribbean project took place in Belize City.
“This project is important because it will address the climate change issues, the hazards, that are affecting many of the Caribbean countries because it will implement an ecosystem-based adaptation approach to the region,” Carcamo pointed out.
He adds that, “Subprojects, policy frameworks, and research and monitoring will be implemented to address, adapt and become more resilient to climate change.”
Through the project, marine and coastal ecosystem management will be improved with strong participation from communities, the private sector, civil society, and national governments.
Country-specific policies, frameworks, and action plans will be developed to guide coastal protection and management. Platforms will be developed to support decision-making for conservation and protection. Sub-project focused on restoration, repopulation, rehabilitation, and management of coral reefs and coastal ecosystems will be carried out in beneficiary countries.
This project will help to protect and manage the vital mangrove ecosystems across the Caribbean and contribute to the efficacy of this nature-based solution.
On this International Day for the Conversation of Mangrove Ecosystems, let us recognize the innumerable benefits communities from across the Caribbean enjoy thanks to vibrant mangrove ecosystems. By working together to protect, manage and restore mangrove ecosystems we safeguard coastal communities and support region’s climate resilience goals.
