<
https://www.conservation.org/blog/in-ecuador-a-milestone-effort-to-protect-mangroves-and-people>
'Once underappreciated, mangroves are having a moment.
From global initiatives to community-led efforts, work to conserve these
climate superstars is gaining traction. Now, a landmark US$ 45.9 million
project aims to give Ecuador’s degraded mangroves a new lease on life, local
news reported.
The six-year project to protect and restore mangroves in Ecuador’s four main
estuaries will be financed by the Green Climate Fund — the world’s largest
climate fund — and led by Conservation International-Ecuador, in collaboration
with the country’s Ministry of the Environment, Water and Ecological
Transition.
By protecting and restoring mangroves — potent climate allies that can absorb
massive amounts of planet-warming carbon — the project will sequester nearly 5
million metric tons of greenhouse gases over 20 years, roughly equivalent to
removing 1.2 million gas-powered cars from the road. It will also restore
critical habitats for marine species that coastal communities rely on for their
livelihoods.
"This project marks a milestone in our efforts to combat climate change and
protect the country's marine and coastal biodiversity," said Conservation
International’s Montserrat Albán, who leads climate work in Ecuador. “We have
been protecting the country’s mangroves for many years, but this is the first
time we are doing so through the lens of helping communities adapt to the
impacts of the climate crisis.”
“The effort goes beyond planting trees,”she added. “It uses innovative
techniques, like restoring the hydrology in certain areas, to bring back
mangrove forests, which are so fundamental to helping people fight and face
climate change.”
Hugging coastlines throughout the tropics, mangroves capture and store massive
amounts of carbon. In a single square mile, their dense tangle of roots can
stash away as much carbon as the annual emissions of 90,000 cars. In addition,
mangroves provide a powerful defense against the impacts of a warming planet.
They act as natural buffers and can help millions of people in coastal
communities become more resilient to sea-level rise, blunting storm surges and
floods.
But despite their many benefits, mangroves have seen a significant decline.
Ecuador has lost nearly a quarter of its mangroves since 1969, leaving its
coasts highly vulnerable to extreme weather and coastal erosion — and
threatening the lives and homes of nearly 200,000 people who live in
flood-prone areas.
Over the next six years, the Mangroves for Climate project will focus on
enhancing the protection and management of 150,000 hectares (371,000 acres) of
mangroves and restoring 4,850 hectares (12,000 acres) of degraded mangroves in
the Gulf of Guayaquil, Jambelí archipelago, Cayapas-Mataje reserve and
Muisne-Cojimíes estuaries.'
Via
Fix the News:
https://fixthenews.com/light-into-lightning/
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
