Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC)

Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC) was launched at the 27^th UN Climate Change Conference (COP27).

What is Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC)?

The Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC) is an intergovernmental alliance that seeks to expand and hasten the progress towards the conservation and restoration of mangrove ecosystems. Its members include the UAE, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Australia, Japan, and Spain.

The alliance will raise global awareness about the role of mangroves as a nature-based climate change solution. It will ensure the rehabilitation of mangrove forests at the global level.

India’s joining of the new alliance is in line with its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by expanding the forest and tree cover by the end of the present decade.

How will the MAC alliance work?

The newly formed alliance adopted a voluntary approach. Its members can determine their own commitments towards planting and restoring mangrove forests, promoting multilateral cooperation and knowledge sharing.

The alliance will support projects implemented by the member countries in areas of mangrove research, management and protection of coastal areas and public education focusing on climate mitigation and adaptation.

Collectively, the members of the Alliance will demonstrate their commitment towards maximizing the potential of nature-based solution via the expansion of mangrove ecosystems and conservation campaigns. It will also enhance mangrove ecosystems’ climate change mitigation capabilities by promoting innovation and research as well as scientific and socio-economic studies.

The MAC will have multiple interactive platforms, featuring annual meetings to assess the progress in achieving the national goals as well as approval of annual reports.

Importance of mangroves

Mangrove ecosystems are among the most productive and ecologically important ecosystems in the world. They provide significant climate change mitigation and adaptation co-benefits since they are capable of storing carbon up to 400 per cent faster than land-based tropical rainforests. They protect coastal regions from rising sea levels, erosion and storm surges. They provide breeding grounds for marine biodiversity. Around 80 per cent of the global fish population rely on these ecosystems for their survival.

Month: Current Affairs – November, 2022

Category: International / World Current Affairs