State of the Mangroves in the Western Indian Ocean Report

The state of mangroves in the Western Indian Ocean report is the first report to quantify and map mangrove blue carbon, drivers of change, and restoration potential or mangroves in the region, using the latest and best globally available data. The report is based on an analysis of Global Mangrove Watch (GMW) data following a systematic and standardised approach adopted and endorsed by the world’s five main conservation organisations. The GMW dataset is derived from high-resolution remote sensing imagery from 1996-2020, and has been supplemented in this report with insights from the latest scientific literature, socio-economic evaluations and input from local partners in the region.

The report shows how important mangroves truly are. Degradation rates are going down, but we still see a decline in mangrove cover. The report shows the huge impact of loss of mangroves for livelihoods, the climate, and biodiversity. It shows that we have a huge task ahead of us. There is a limitless amount of restoration potential, in which huge amounts of carbon can be conserved and sequestered.

The real strength of the report lies in the collaboration between global and regional actors. The best remote sensing scientists globally collaborate on the Global Mangrove Watch Initiative, led by Wetlands International and The Nature Conservancy to develop and make available the most reliable and nuanced mangrove data. Regionally, the “Save Our Mangroves Now!” Initiative has been the backdrop against which this report has been developed.

The report focusses on the Western Indian Ocean region and specifically on 4 countries: Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Madagascar– together home to 5% of the world's mangroves. It main findings include:

• The WIO region lost 30,156 ha (3.9%) of its mangroves over the past 24 years (1996-2020) mainly due to unsustainable wood extraction, land clearance for agriculture and the impacts of cyclones and flooding.
• The WIO region currently has some 745,518 ha of mangroves remaining, 5% of the world's mangroves.
• An estimated total of ~838 Mt CO₂e is currently stored in the region’s mangrove biomass and sediment.
• The total mangrove area in the WIO region is capable of storing up to 16% (6 million metric tonnes CO₂) of the region’s total annual fossil fuel CO₂ emissions each year. 

The potential for mangrove restoration in the WIO Region is high with at least 40,900 ha available for restoration, which could enable:  

• Protection from annual coastal flooding for tens of thousands of people
• Saving 15 million metric tonnes C of soil carbon stocks through avoided emissions 
• Carbon sequestration in mangrove biomass amounting up to 327,000 metric tonnes C year

Significant investments and government support are needed to upscale mangrove conservation and restoration by using expert guidance along with local support

We would like to thank the partners in the programme, of WWF and IUCN, for their invaluable contributions. Additionally, our collaboration in the region is growing ever stronger. With the Global Mangrove Alliance regional chapters, and regional collaborations in the WIOMN, WIOMSA, and Nairobi Convention.