What is the Mangrove Alliance for Climate, which India joined at COP27?

What is the Mangrove Alliance for Climate, which India joined at COP27?

Subject: Environment

Context-

• At the 27th Session of Conference of Parties (COP27), this year’s UN climate summit, the Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC) was launched with India as a partner.
• The move, in line with India’s goal to increase its carbon sink, will see New Delhi collaborating with Sri Lanka, Indonesia and other countries to preserve and restore the mangrove forests in the region.

The MAC-

• An initiative led by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Indonesia, the Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC) includes India, Sri Lanka, Australia, Japan, and Spain.
• It aims to educate and spread awareness worldwide on the role of mangroves in curbing global warming and its potential as a solution for climate change.
• The intergovernmental alliance works on a voluntary basis which means that there are no real checks and balances to hold members accountable.
• The members will also share expertise and support each other in researching, managing and protecting coastal areas.

The current state of the mangroves

Geographical Location:

• Mangroves are found only along sheltered coastlines within tropical or subtropical latitudes because they cannot withstand freezing temperatures.
• They share the unique capability of growing within reach of the tides in salty soil.

Area Covered

• Global Mangrove Cover:
  • The total mangrove cover in the world is 1,50,000 sq kms.
  • Asia has the largest number of mangroves worldwide.
  • South Asia comprises 8% of the world’s mangrove cover.
  • India’s contribution is8% total mangrove cover in South Asia.

Mangroves in India:

• Coverage:
  • According to the India State of Forest Report, 2019, the mangrove cover in India is 4,975 sq km, which is 15% of the country’s total geographical area.
  • West Bengal has45% of India’s mangrove cover, followed by Gujarat at 23.66% and A&N Islands at 12.39%.

Largest Mangrove Forest:

• Sundarbans in West Bengal is the largest mangrove forest regions in the world. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  • The forest is home to the Royal Bengal tiger, Gangetic dolphins and Estuarine crocodiles.
• Bhitarkanika Mangroves: The second largest mangrove forest in India is Bhitarkanika in Odisha created by the two river deltas of River Brahmani and Baitarani.
  • It is one of the most significant Ramsar wetlands in India.
• Godavari-Krishna Mangroves, Andhra Pradesh: The Godavari-Krishna mangroves extend from Odisha to Tamil Nadu.
  • The deltas of the Ganges, Mahanadi, Krishna, Godavari, and Cauvery rivers contain mangrove forests.
  • The backwaters in Kerala have a high density of mangrove forests.
  • Pichavaram in Tamil Nadu has a vast expanse of water covered with mangrove forests. It is home to many aquatic bird species.

Significance of Mangroves-

• Ecologically mangroves are important in maintaining and building the soil, as a reservoir in the tertiary assimilation of waste.
• They provide protection against cyclones.
• Promotes land accretion, fixation of mud banks, dissipation of winds, tidal and wave energy.
• The dense tangle of roots allows the trees to handle the daily rise and fall of tides.
• Mangrove forests stabilize the coastline, reducing erosion from storm surges, currents, waves, and tides.
• Mangroves improve water quality by absorbing nutrients from runoff that might otherwise cause harmful algal blooms offshore.
• Both coral reefs and seagrass beds rely on the water-purifying ability of mangrove forests to keep the water clear and healthy.
• Mangroves make up less than 2% of marine environments but account for 10-15% of carbon burial.
• Once the leaves and older trees die they fall to the seafloor and take the stored carbon with them to be buried in the soil.
• This buried carbon is known as “blue carbon” because it is stored underwater in coastal ecosystems like mangrove forests, seagrass beds and salt marshes.
• Supports an incredible diversity of creatures including some species unique to mangrove forests.
• They provide habitat and refuge to a wide array of wildlife such as birds, fish, invertebrates, mammals and plants.

Threats Faced by Mangroves

• Commercialisation of Coastal Areas: Aquaculture, coastal development, rice and palm oil farming and industrial activities are rapidly replacing these salt-tolerant trees and the ecosystems they support.
  • Mangrove coverage has shrunk by half in the last 40 years. Less than 1% of tropical forests are mangroves.
• Shrimp Farms: The emergence of shrimp farms has caused at least 35% of the overall loss of mangrove forests.
• Temperature-Related Issues: A fluctuation of ten degrees in a short period of time is enough stress to damage the plant and freezing temperatures for even a few hours can kill some mangrove species.
• Soil-Related Issues: The soil where mangroves are rooted poses a challenge for plants as it is severely lacking in oxygen.
• Excessive Human Intervention: During past changes in sea level, mangroves were able to move further inland, but in many places, human development is now a barrier that limits how far a mangrove forest can migrate.
  • Mangroves also frequently suffer from oil spills.

Conservation of Mangroves

• UNESCO Designated Sites: The inclusion of mangroves in Biosphere Reserves, World Heritage sites and UNESCO Global Geoparks contributes to improving the knowledge, management and conservation of mangrove ecosystems throughout the world.
• International Society for Mangrove Ecosystem (ISME): The ISME is a non-governmental organization established in 1990 to promote the study of mangroves with the purpose of enhancing their conservation, rational management and sustainable utilization.
• Blue Carbon Initiative: The International Blue Carbon Initiative is focused on mitigating climate change through the conservation and restoration of coastal and marine ecosystems.
  • It is coordinated by Conservation International (CI), IUCN, and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission-UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO).
• International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem: UNESCO celebrates this day on July 26 with the aim of raising awareness about mangrove ecosystems and promoting their sustainable management and conservation.
• Mangroves for the Future Initiative: IUCN and UNDP developed a unique initiative to promote investment in coastal ecosystem conservation called the “Mangroves for the Future (MFF)”.
  • The member nations include Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Pakistan, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.
• National Mangrove Committee: The Government of India set up a National Mangrove Committee in 1976 which advises the government about the conservation and development of mangroves.