Half of world’s mangrove forests are at risk due to human behaviour

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🗞️ Driving the news: Half of all the world’s mangrove forests are at risk of collapse due to human behavior, according to an IUCN study
• The most at-risk areas include southern India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, the South China Sea, central Pacific, and the eastern Coral Triangle

🔭 The context: Mangroves, found along tropical coastlines, are crucial for biodiversity, carbon storage, and coastal protection
• The primary threats include rising sea levels, coastal development, agriculture, pollution, and dam construction.

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Mangroves sequester nearly three times the carbon of tropical forests and provide essential services like coastal disaster risk reduction and fisheries support
• Their loss would have catastrophic effects on global biodiversity and climate regulation

⏭️ What's next: The IUCN's red list of ecosystems outlines strategies to reverse mangrove loss and protect these ecosystems, supporting biodiversity and climate goals.

💬 One quote: “Their loss stands to be disastrous for nature and people across the globe,” said Angela Andrade, IUCN commission on ecosystem management chair.

📈 One stat: About 15% of the world’s coastlines are covered by mangroves, which are crucial carbon stores.

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