Mangrove Alliance For Climate

Launching the Mangrove Alliance for Climate

Building on global efforts to promote biodiversity and shining a spotlight on nature-based solutions, the Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC), which is spearheaded by the United Arab Emirates in partnership with Indonesia, will promote mangroves as a nature-based solution to climate change. MAC was launched at COP27 on the 8th of November 2022, in the presence of representatives from the global community.

$65

Mangroves act as natural barriers against rising tides and storm surges. It estimated that mangrove ecosystems prevent more than $65 billion in property damages, and reduce flood risks for around 15 million people every year

10x

Mangrove forests cover about 0.1% of the planet’s surface but have the ability to store up to 10x more carbon per hectare than terrestrial forests

341

It is estimated 341 threatened species around the world depend on mangrove forest. Under water the root system provides nesting and feeding grounds for juvenile fish, oysters, mussels, and sharks. Above ground mangroves provide homes for cranes, eagles and monkeys

80%

Global fish catch is in some way dependent on mangrove forests

Building on global efforts to promote biodiversity and shine a spotlight on nature-based solutions, the Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC), which is spearheaded by the…

Aim & Objectives

The MAC seeks to scale up, accelerate conservation, restoration and growing plantation efforts of mangrove ecosystems for the benefit of communities globally, and recognize the importance of these ecosystems for climate change mitigation and adaption. Specifically, the members commit to plant, rehabilitate and restore mangroves within their country; as well as supporting others to do the same.

Demonstrate collective commitment to nature-based climate solutions through mangrove protection and plantations.

Amplify ecosystem services from mangroves to mitigate and combat climate change through innovation and research.

Enhance the protection of mangrove ecosystems at a global level through scientific, social, and economic studies.

Encourage social and private sector philanthropy approach to support the efforts of blue carbon solutions and plantation efforts of mangroves.

Amplify global efforts to achieve the international climate agenda.

Initiatives

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Mangrove Soil Carbon Sequestration Rates in the UAE

The UAE Mangrove Soil Carbon Sequestration Project is a follow up to the National Blue Carbon Project, commissioned by the Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative ( on behalf of the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi ( This project provides a trial to test determination of mangrove soil carbon sequestration rates across the Emirates using radiometric dating techniques This and prior projects improve understanding of carbon storage and the other services that coastal and marine Blue Carbon ecosystems provide across the United Arab Emirates.

LOCAL, NATIONAL, REGIONAL CLIMATE CHANGE PROGRAMME

The overall goal is to better understand the near-term vulnerability of the UAE given changes in climate and human use in the coastal zone. The outputs of the effort represent a contribution to the development of a national framework on near-term coastal zone planning, policy, and information dialogues regarding climate change. There are three major objectives: (1) Acquire the various types of physical databases necessary as inputs to a CVI; (2) develop the coastal vulnerability index for the entire UAE coastline to identify those portions at highest risk from climate change and illustrate the nature of that risk; and (3) develop an interactive “CVI Inspector” tool to visualize the results of the assessment for subsequent use in near-term coastal management and planning at the emirate and national levels.

Blue Carbon initiative

‘Blue Carbon’ refers to the functional attributes of coastal and marine ecosystems to sequester and store carbon. Blue Carbon ecosystems of the UAE include mangrove forests, salt marshes and seagrass beds. Another potential Blue Carbon ecosystem identified as a result of this project is cyanobacterial “bluegreen algal” mats (hereafter referred to as algal flats). When these ecosystems are destroyed, buried carbon can be released into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. In addition to their climate-related benefits, Blue Carbon ecosystems provide highly valuable ‘Ecosystem Services’ to coastal communities; they protect shorelines, provide nursery grounds for fish and habitats for a wide range of terrestrial and aquatic species, and support coastal tourism. They also have significant cultural and social values.

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