Source: The post Mangroves safeguard coasts and power sustainable growth has been created, based on the article “The fact is mangroves drive business” published in “The Hindu” on 2nd August 2025. Mangroves safeguard coasts and power sustainable growth.
UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 3- Environment
Context: Mangroves are crucial for coastal protection, fisheries, and climate resilience. Yet, they remain sidelined in planning and policy. Their decline threatens natural infrastructure and economic stability. In a time of increasing climate risks, mangroves must be reimagined as assets for sustainable growth and security.
Recognising Mangroves as Natural Capital
- Undervalued Economic Role: Mangroves provide billions in ecosystem services, including buffering coastal cities and supporting marine life. Despite their value, they are rarely included in economic assessments or policy decisions.
- Quantifying Ecosystem Services: Valuations highlight their worth. Mangroves in Pichavaram (Tamil Nadu) are valued at ₹3,535 million, while the Sundarbans (West Bengal) reach ₹664 billion. Carbon sequestration in the Sundarbans is worth ₹462 million annually, showing their vital ecological and economic role.
Technology for Mapping and Restoration
- Advanced Monitoring Tools: Satellite and drone data, enhanced by geospatial AI, improve mangrove mapping and blue carbon estimates. These insights are essential for policy design and restoration planning.
- Community Inclusion in Data Efforts: Local communities with deep ecosystem knowledge must be recognised. Their livelihoods depend on mangroves, and they must be socially and economically included in decision-making.
Community-Led Conservation
- Fisherfolk and Livelihoods: Mangroves act as fish nurseries, supporting sustainable fisheries. Coastal livelihoods are closely tied to healthy mangrove and estuarine ecosystems.
- Urban Ecosystem Challenges: In cities like Mumbai and Chennai, mangroves suffer from pollution and degradation, harming biodiversity and livelihoods. Empowered communities that see direct benefits become lasting stewards.
- Alternative Livelihoods: Mangroves can support aquaculture, beekeeping, and eco-tourism. Models like Eco-Development Committees (EDCs) and Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs) can be adapted for urban contexts.
Citizen Science and Monitoring
- Local Engagement: Training community members to monitor ecosystems can support or even replace formal monitoring. Mangrove health depends on river systems, sediments, and wetland linkages.
- Health Indicators: Monitoring tools should assess mangrove area change, freshwater flow patterns, species diversity, and community dependence and perceptions.
Platforms for Sustainable Stewardship
- Collaborative Engagement Models: Initiatives like “Mangrove Mitras” engage people in mangrove conservation. These platforms rebuild connections between people, wetlands, rivers, and mangroves.
- A Coalition Approach: Mangrove health and human well-being are interconnected. Conservation must be a coalition of science, business, and community voices, treating mangroves as vital climate infrastructure.
Question for practice:
Discuss how mangrove ecosystems can contribute to sustainable development and climate resilience.
