The Mangrove Principles

Climate change, COVID-19, food insecurity… as ever-growing challenges pile up in front of us, the need for effective, nature-based solutions to repair our broken relationship with nature becomes more pressing. In this vital year for our planet, all eyes are on policy makers to deliver real change.

To shine the light on possible solutions, global mangrove experts launched the Mangrove Principles at this year´s IUCN World Conservation Congress – a document presenting a comprehensive and strategic approach to effective mangrove conservation. Why mangroves? Because protecting them provides answers to many societal challenges, as well as to the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. They are our roots of hope!

“Mangrove forests sequester more than 4 times the carbon that their terrestrial cousins, trees, sequester. Yet people regard mangroves as a nuisance or something to be used for firewood. We have to turn that around.” (Ambassador Peter Thomson, United Nations Special Envoy for the Ocean)

Scientists, policy experts, business leaders and professionals from around the globe came together at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Marseille to set the global conservation agenda for the next four years. The launch event of the Mangrove Principles took place on the 7^th of September with high-level speakers providing compelling insights into the importance of mangrove conservation, particularly in the Western Indian Ocean. The entire session can be accessed here.

“We believe that for the success of this mangrove conservation and restoration programme, coordination and inclusive activities are critical. In this context, harmonised mangrove principles are key to guide the achievements of global goals of conservation and maintain mangrove ecosystems at the local, national or international levels” (Ms. Ivete Maibaze, Minister of Land and Environment, Government of Mozambique)

The Guiding Principles on Sustainable Mangrove Ecosystem Management are designed to provide guidance for national policy decision-makers responsible for conservation, restoration, protection and sustainable management of mangrove ecosystems. They have been endorsed by the following organisations:

•   Save Our Mangroves Now!

•   The Global Mangrove Alliance

•   The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)

•   The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

•   WWF

•   Wetlands International

For more information, visit our Principles webpage: https://www.mangrovealliance.org/somn-mangrove-principles/