Mangrove ecosystems stand as powerful Nature-based Solutions (NbS) against the pressing challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss. These ecosystems not only provide food, livelihoods, and extreme weather protection but also act as crucial carbon sinks, enhancing coastal resilience and harboring extraordinary biodiversity. Despite their immense value, mangrove protection and restoration remain underfunded, with only ~1% of climate finance allocated to marine and coastal ecosystems. This underfunding significantly hampers effective conservation and restoration efforts, leading to the continued degradation of these essential habitats—over 1 million hectares of mangroves have been lost since 1996.
The Mangrove Breakthrough represents an unprecedented, ambitious multi-stakeholder initiative that seeks to address these challenges by unlocking $4 billion and driving action to secure the future of 15 million hectares of mangrove forests by 2030. As part of the Sharm El-Sheikh Adaptation Agenda and building on the work of the Global Mangrove Alliance (GMA), the Mangrove Breakthrough provides a comprehensive framework for both state and non-state actors to halt loss, restore half of recent losses, double protection, and ensure sufficient and sustainable long-term finance for all existing mangroves.
This side event aims to break the silos between policy, finance, and on-the-ground action to catalyze transformative change in mangrove conservation and restoration, building on the momentum of the Mangrove Breakthrough. The event will feature a panel discussion that brings together policymakers, finance sector, practitioners, and the private sector to explore strategies for dismantling these silos and creating synergies in mangrove action. By uniting these stakeholders under the guiding principles of the Mangrove Breakthrough, the event seeks to mobilize sustainable, long-term finance for impactful mangrove conservation and restoration.
Key topics to be addressed include:
Financial Roadmap Implementation: Applying the Mangrove Breakthrough Financial Roadmap to secure long-term, sustainable finance for mangroves. This includes transitioning to and promoting mangrove-positive productive businesses.
Policy Integration: Enhancing mangrove ambitions by incorporating mangrove-positive commitments in NDCs and other national climate and conservation policies, as an avenue to drive action and financing toward these ecosystems.
Investment Opportunities: Mobilizing action on the ground through a pipeline of investable projects that follow established best practices, to scale up investment towards mangrove ecosystems. The discussion will include elements to consider in proposals and potential pitfalls to avoid.
Additionally, the event will showcase progress on the Mangrove Breakthrough since COP28, including the launch of the NDC Task Force, the establishment of an Advisory Council, and the creation of the Mangrove Breakthrough Secretariat. It will also build momentum for future action, including at CBD COP16, COP29, and beyond, ensuring that the full potential of mangrove ecosystems is realized in the global fight against climate change and biodiversity loss.