The State Of The World’s Mangroves 2024:
A report titled “The State of the World’s Mangroves 2024” was released by the Global Mangrove Alliance (GMA) on World Mangrove Day (26 July).
- The GMA is the preeminent alliance of 100-plus members driving the conservation and restoration for the world’s mangroves.
- The latest world map (GMW v4.0), developed by the Global Mangrove Watch, provides a sixfold improvement in spatial resolution.
- It maps 147,256 km² of mangroves in 2020, adding data for six new territories.
- Southeast Asia holds about one-third of the world’s mangroves, with Indonesia alone accounting for 21%.
- Mangroves hold, on average, a remarkable 394 tonnes of carbon per hectare in their living biomass and in the top meter of soil.
- Some mangrove areas like the Philippines, have average values of over 650 tonnes per hectare.
- Biodiversity: Mangroves are home to a tremendous diversity of species, reflecting their ecotone nature.
- Over 5,700 plant and animal species, across 21 phyla, have been recorded in Indian mangroves alone
- Flooding is the most frequently occurring natural disaster worldwide and is exacerbated by climate change.
- Mangroves reduce flood depths by 15-20%, and over 70% in some areas.
- Mangroves support nearly 800 billion young fish, prawns, bivalves, and crabs annually, crucial for global fisheries.
- They provide non-aquatic food resources like honey, leaves, and fruits, essential for local communities.
