Mangroves are among the most carbon-rich forests in the tropics and support numerous ecosystem services. These forests form an important part of the carbon stored in coastal and marine ecosystems, called “blue carbon.” They could play a significant role in reducing emissions, while also supporting biodiversity conservation, fisheries habitat protection and disaster risk reduction. Despite their large ecological impact, both have suffered huge declines, up to 50 percent in areas, in recent years.

Potential discussion topics:

• Causes, patterns and consequences of change in mangrove ecosystems
• Roles of mangroves in livelihoods and ecosystem conservation
• Conservation, sustainable management and use of mangrove, and the promotion of effective mangrove restoration, including regional initiatives
• Blue carbon after the Paris Agreement and the role of international partnerships for blue carbon, including GHG estimations