Mangroves have shown to have an economic value estimated at $855 billion for their flood protection services worldwide.
A recent study by the Coastal Climate Resilience Center at UC Santa Cruz, led by Pelayo Menéndez and Michael W. Beck, highlights the importance of these ecosystems in protecting coastal communities.
Multifaceted Benefits of Mangroves
The report titled Building Coastal Resilience with Mangroves highlights the fundamental role of mangroves in:
- Flood protection, storm surges, and erosion.
- Improving biodiversity.
- Carbon capture.
- Supporting local livelihoods.
Unlike rigid infrastructure, mangroves are not only more cost-effective but also provide essential environmental services, presenting themselves as a natural and efficient solution to mitigate coastal risks.
An Invaluable Natural Asset
The analysis included data from 2020 and covered mangroves in 121 countries, spanning 700,000 kilometers of subtropical coasts. Using advanced flood risk models, it was demonstrated that the value of mangroves as a natural defense has increased dramatically due to population growth and coastal infrastructure.
Between 1996 and 2020, the cumulative benefit of mangroves in terms of flood risk reduction increased by $632 billion.
Countries with Greater Benefits and Pending Challenges
Countries benefiting the most from mangrove protection services include China, Vietnam, Australia, the United States, and India. However, regions like Malaysia, Myanmar, and Taiwan have experienced a decline in benefits due to mangrove loss, emphasizing the need to intensify conservation efforts.
Conservation and Restoration of Mangroves: A Strategic Investment
The study concludes that protecting and restoring mangroves makes sense not only from an environmental perspective but also an economic one. These ecosystems are crucial in climate change adaptation strategies, combining cost-effectiveness, ecological benefits, and climate resilience.
Preserving mangroves is crucial for a more sustainable development model. Promoting the restoration of these ecosystems strengthens communities’ ability to face disasters, contributes to the planet’s health by capturing carbon, protects biodiversity, and supports the local economy.
Conservation of mangroves should be at the core of any climate policy aiming for a safer and more resilient future.
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