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Source: The post is based on the article “Union Minister for Environment Forest and Climate Change speaks at the Launch of the Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC) at COP 27,Egypt” published in PIB on 8th November 2022.
What is the News?
The Union Minister for Environment Forest and Climate Change spoke at the Launch of the Mangrove Alliance for Climate(MAC).
What is the Mangrove Alliance for Climate(MAC)?
Mangrove Alliance for Climate(MAC) was launched at the COP27 Summit in Egypt to scale up and accelerate the conservation and restoration of the mangrove forests.
The alliance is led by the United Arab Emirates(UAE) in partnership with Indonesia.
The alliance will raise awareness about the role of mangroves as a “nature-based solution to climate change”.
What are mangroves?
A mangrove is a shrub or a small tree that grows along the coastlines and has roots in salty sediments, often underwater.
They also grow in swamps. Mangrove forests can survive extreme weather conditions and require low oxygen levels to survive.
Mangroves are distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world and are found in 123 countries.
Mangroves are among the most carbon-rich forests in the tropics. They account for 3% of carbon sequestered by the world’s tropical forests.
Mangrove forests act as natural barriers against rising tides and storms. Each year, they prevent property damages of over $65 billion.
UNESCO celebrates July 26 as the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem to raise awareness about mangrove ecosystems and to promote their conservation.
What is the relationship between India and mangroves?
India contributes to nearly half of the total mangrove cover in South Asia.
According to the Forest Survey report 2021, mangroves cover in the country is 4,992 square km, which is 0.15% of the country’s total geographical area. Since 2019, the cover has risen by only 17 sq km.
West Bengal has the highest percentage of mangrove cover in India, mainly because it has Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world. It is followed by Gujarat and Andaman and Nicobar islands.
