Ambitious goals for global mangrove conservation and restoration

Abstract Generic global conservation targets lack the ambition required for certain habitats of critical value for biodiversity and human well-being. Developing more challenging targets for such habitats may offer a solution. Mangrove forests provide an example: any and all future loss will have negative repercussions, while many impacts could be reversed through extensive restoration. The Global Mangrove Alliance, an international grouping of 100 civil society and academic partners, has set goals to halt anthropogenic losses, accelerate restoration and greatly enhance protection by 2030. Using global-scale data, we estimate that achieving these goals will avoid losses of some 1500 km 2 ; restore some 4000 km 2 ; and secure an additional 36 000 km 2 of mangroves under effective and equitable protection. Multiple benefits will follow, and we present values for carbon storage gains and avoided losses. Global datasets can guide broad approaches, while quantifying the challenges and benefits provides inspiration and impetus for change.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
AMBIO
Published
2026-10-27
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-026-02481-0
Primary Topic
Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Ambitious goals for global mangrove conservation and restoration

Steven W. J. Canty, Miguel Cañedo‐Argüelles, Christopher James Brown, Nimai Bera et al.
3 links
AMBIO
Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics
article

Ambitious goals for global mangrove conservation and restoration

Steven W. J. Canty, Miguel Cañedo‐Argüelles, Christopher James Brown, Nimai Bera, Frida Sidik, Stefanie Simpson, Virni Budi Arifanti, Benjamin Christ, Samuel Appiah Ofori, Mohammad Main Uddin, Punyasloke Bhadury, Krista D. Sherman, Alvise Dabalà, Lammert Hilarides, Loureene Antoinette Jones, Wilder José Borrero Avellaneda, Ajanta Dey, Nessrine Alzahlawi, Jennifer Howard, Mauricio Diazgranados, Salomão Bandeira, Syed Ali Mohamed, Francis A. Okalo, Fernanda Minikowski Achete, Daniel T. I. Bayley, Nicolás Moity, Stefanie M. Rog, Mark D. Spalding, Daniel A. Friess, Orion S. McCarthy, Kate Longley-Wood, Melanie M. Esch, Kristina Leticia Rodriguez, Dixon T. Gevaña, Mohammad Rozaimi, Clare Duncan, Behara Satyanarayana, Jennifer Simonjan, Susanna Tol, Jennifer Tabola, Christine C. Shepard, Apri Susanto Astra, Shrutika Parihar, Cheryl L. Doughty, George W. Maina, Catherine E. Lovelock, Heather A. Stewart, Brad Oberle, José Fernando Moreira-Ramírez, Hannah K. Morrissette, Jorge Alfredo Herrera-Silveira, Nirupama Saini, Dharmendra G. Shah, Laura A. Michie, Gustavo Adolfo Castellanos-Galindo, Muhammad Ilman, Mark A. Beeston, Marice Leal, Annadel Cabanban, Anwesha Ghosh, Michael Sievers, Nathan Thomas, Luis Suarez, Lola Fatoyinbo, Jaime Polania, Craig Dahlgren, Rebeca Biancardi Aleu, Nirmal Shah, Samir Raj Gandhi, Jewel N. Beneby, Rashema T. Ingraham, Khalid Hamid Ahmed Mohammed, Farhah N. Rosli, Emily C. Landis, Christopher Sheridan, Fernanda T. Ramírez-Aguilera, Jude Ikenna Samuelson, Nadia Desiree Bood, Julio Montes de Oca, Maria Josella M. Pangilinan, Pete Bunting, Vinaya Kozhapalli, Sreejith Kalpuzha Ashtamoorthy, Christopher Roy, William E. N. Austin, Severino III G. Salmo, Andrés Fraiz-Toma, Juan J. Robalino, Ignace Beguin Billecocq, Miao Li, Sophie L. P. Benbow, R. Taufan Harisam, K. Anggi Hapsari, Valentine Ebua, Maria C. Diazgranados, Jessica Paula Rose Thorn, Amandine Hersant, Ajay Raghunath Govale, Anete Berzina-Rodrigo, Gabin Agblonon
article en

Abstract

Abstract Generic global conservation targets lack the ambition required for certain habitats of critical value for biodiversity and human well-being. Developing more challenging targets for such habitats may offer a solution. Mangrove forests provide an example: any and all future loss will have negative repercussions, while many impacts could be reversed through extensive restoration. The Global Mangrove Alliance, an international grouping of 100 civil society and academic partners, has set goals to halt anthropogenic losses, accelerate restoration and greatly enhance protection by 2030. Using global-scale data, we estimate that achieving these goals will avoid losses of some 1500 km 2 ; restore some 4000 km 2 ; and secure an additional 36 000 km 2 of mangroves under effective and equitable protection. Multiple benefits will follow, and we present values for carbon storage gains and avoided losses. Global datasets can guide broad approaches, while quantifying the challenges and benefits provides inspiration and impetus for change.

AMBIO
Smithsonian Institution (US), Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda (IN), Tulane University (US), Griffith University (AU), University of the Philippines Los Baños (PH), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (BR), Charles Darwin Foundation (EC), Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata (IN), Fauna and Flora International (GB), The Nature Conservancy (US), Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (IN), National Audubon Society (US), Conservation International (US), Zoological Society of London (GB), Wildlife Conservation Society (US), United States Fish and Wildlife Service (US), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ES), Universidad del Norte (CO), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (MY), Aberystwyth University (GB), The University of Queensland (AU), Edge Hill University (GB), University of St Andrews (GB), Wetlands International (NL), University of Victoria (CA), University of Madras (IN), Jenderal Soedirman University (ID), Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (AE), Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (DE), Blue Ventures (GB), New York Botanical Garden (US), Universidad Nacional de Colombia (CO), Technology Innovation Institute (AE), The Nature Conservancy (CO), World Wildlife Fund (US), International Union for Conservation of Nature (United States) (US), Shelburne Museum (US), United Way (US), Société Française de Médecine d'Urgence (FR), Perry Institute for Marine Science (US), Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (ES), Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center (US), University of Seychelles (SC), International Union for Conservation of Nature (CH), National Research and Innovation Agency (ID), Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (AU), Mohamed Sathak College of Arts and Science (IN), MIT Media Lab (US), Institut Oseanografi dan Sekitaran (MY), Imperial College London (GB), Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (US), Ahmedabad University (IN), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US), Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (MX), University of Göttingen (DE), Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (BR), University of the Philippines Diliman (PH), National University of Malaysia (MY), Red Sea University (SD), Kerala Forest Research Institute (IN)
Life on land, Climate action
Openalex Percentile: Top 16%
Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.

Laika access coming soon