01 Jul Did you know? Mangroves are among the most carbon-rich forests in the tropics

Mangroves in the Coral Triangle are forests with canopies reaching to over 30m in height and rich, waterlogged soils store carbon at rates comparable to, or even higher, than adjacent lowland rainforests. These forests form an important part of the carbon stored in coastal and marine ecosystems, called “blue carbon.” Mangroves are called “carbon sinks” since they absorb excess carbon in the atmosphere and store them thereby playing a significant role in reducing global warming. Mangroves also provide a wide range of benefits such as supporting biodiversity conservation, fisheries habitat protection and disaster risk reduction. However, according to the United Nations, coastal mangroves are among the most imperiled ecosystems on earth, with current estimates indicating that up to 67 percent have been lost to date.