PARIS: UNESCO has warned that more than three-quarters of the world’s mangroves are under threat along with all the aquatic and terrestrial organisms that depend on them.
”For this reason, UNESCO is acting to protect them and other valuable blue carbon ecosystems, through its networks of Biosphere Reserves, Global Geoparks and natural World Heritage sites,” said Ms Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, in a message on the occasion of the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem on 26th July.
”Yet, in the face of the climate emergency, we must go even further, for mangroves also serve as key carbon sinks that we cannot allow to disappear. This is why a UNESCO project is restoring mangroves in seven Latin American countries-Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama and Peru. This project will bring economic opportunities to communities and support the sharing of knowledge between local and indigenous populations and the scientific community.”
UNESCO has also been
supporting the growth of floating mangroves, while carrying out research on their carbon sequestration capacities at Lusail Marina in Qatar. Building on this idea, the University of New South Wales in Australia has embarked on a five-year research project with the University of the South Pacific to hone the concept in Fiji, with support from Swire Shipping and UNESCO. Beyond protection and restoration, we also need global awareness. This is the spirit of the first International Conference on Mangrove Conservation and Restoration taking place in Abu Dhabi from 10 to 12 December this year, in which UNESCO is a partner.By raising awareness of the mysteries of mangroves, we can better preserve them,” she added.
Mangroves are rare, spectacular and prolific ecosystems on the boundary between land and sea. These extra ordinary ecosystems contribute to the wellbeing, food security, and protection of coastal communities worldwide. They support a rich biodiversity and provide a valuable nursery habitat for fish and c
rustaceans. Mangroves also act as a form of natural coastal defense against storm surges, tsunamis, rising sea levels and erosion. Their soils are highly effective carbon sinks, sequestering vast amounts of carbon.
Although they are found in 123 nations and territories, mangroves represent less than 1 percent of all tropical forests worldwide and less than 0.4 percent of the total global forest estate.
Source: Emirates News Agency