Nationally Determined Contributions, which are each country’s individual commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the effects of climate change, are the core of the Paris Agreement. Parties must submit new NDCs every five years. As stipulated in Article 4 of the Paris Agreement, the revised NDCs must represent progress on each country’s previous submission and “reflect the highest possible ambition.”
One element that is often overlooked in national mitigation and adaptation targets for NDCs is the inclusion of mangroves and other blue carbon ecosystems such as seagrasses and salt marshes. It is estimated that mangroves, which cover just 0.1% of the world’s surface, store 12 billion tons of carbon, and their destruction is linked to up to 10% of global emissions from deforestation.
Currently, the world is far from achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement. The Emissions Gap Report reveals that implementing the latest round of NDCs will only limit temperature rise to between 2.5°C and 2.9°C; Well below the 1.5°C target.
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With time running out, the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean – which together are home to more than a quarter of the world’s mangroves, from Mexico’s Pacific coast to Brazil’s vast estuaries – must explore new and innovative ways to reduce their emissions as we mobilize our collective efforts to advance climate action. Prioritizing the protection, conservation and restoration of mangroves and other blue carbon ecosystems in countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) is critical to achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement.
As a global ambassador for Mangrove Breakthrough, an initiative to mobilize US$4 billion to sustainably manage and increase mangrove cover, I am committed to driving strategic partnerships with governments, public and private financial institutions, NGOs and philanthropies to collectively drive ambition. I believe mangrove penetration could be a catalyst for countries looking to step up mitigation and adaptation efforts in their upcoming climate commitments.
A hugely missed opportunity. The 2023 analysis shows that 93 of the 142 countries that submitted their updated draft NDCs included relevant nature-based coastal and marine solutions in their revised commitments, a modest increase from the 68 countries that included them in their draft NDCs. Sixty-one countries used coastal and marine natural solutions for mitigation and adaptation in their revised commitments, but only 33 countries set quantitative targets for implementation. There has been a lack of recognition of the climate benefits of these ecosystems.
To help countries integrate blue carbon ecosystems into their NDCs, the Blue Carbon Initiative has developed guidelines for the inclusion of coastal wetlands, which are organized into five pillars aligned with the NDC sections: readiness assessment and inclusion options; incorporating blue carbon into the adaptation component; The relationship between blue carbon and mitigation targets; Preparation of reports and inventories of greenhouse gases associated with these ecosystems, and finally implementation aimed at compliance with nationally determined contributions for blue carbon.
As Global Mangrove Watch explains in its policy brief on incorporating mangrove ecosystems into NDCs, blue carbon ecosystems represent a largely untapped opportunity to improve ambition and action in national climate commitments.
Drawing on these valuable resources, the NDC Mangrove Promotion Task Force has developed a series of practical policy tools that provide technical guidance to countries interested in recognizing the benefits of mangroves for climate adaptation and mitigation in their NDCs. These include reasons for governments to incorporate mangroves into their NDCs, examples of their inclusion in previous commitments, model language to facilitate their integration, and arguments supporting their recognition within the framework of global adaptation goals.
Learn from the example of Colombia. During my time as Colombia’s Minister of Environment, my country submitted its Nationally Revised Contribution, which calls for a 51% reduction in emissions by 2030. This document remains one of the most ambitious climate commitments to date.
In Colombia’s latest NDC, we do not hesitate to acknowledge the full potential of mangroves and blue carbon ecosystems. Mangrove conservation and restoration are addressed in the sections devoted to Colombia’s adaptation objectives, capacity development and strengthening, and technology development and transfer.
The revised NDC calls for the implementation of six climate change adaptation and risk management initiatives for sustainable use of mangroves by 2030. We prioritize the design, implementation and monitoring of actions to restore deforested and degraded mangroves on the Colombian coast in the NDC section on support needs for capacity development and strengthening. In addition, we encourage the establishment of a monitoring and evaluation subsystem for climate change adaptation initiatives, with a particular focus on mangroves and seagrasses.
Colombia is by no means the only country leading this issue. A recent report from the Pew Charitable Trusts and the NDC Partnership Support Unit praised Costa Rica, Seychelles, and Belize for their specific and ambitious commitments to protecting coastal wetlands.
Panama’s second national contribution last year sets the goal of restoring or expanding mangrove cover by 1,800 hectares nationwide by 2028. Subject to sufficient external financial support, the country aims to integrate 50% of its mangroves into the national system of protected areas within the same time frame. In addition, Panama plans to evaluate and strengthen national mangrove management by 2027 and update the national wetland inventory by 2030.
In its revised 2020 report, Costa Rica committed to prioritizing effective management and monitoring of coastal wetland areas and restoring 80% of mangrove areas in the Gulf of Nicoya by 2030. Last year, the country published its National Blue Carbon Strategy, which provides a path to implementing its 2020 commitments.
Seychelles also presents specific mangrove targets in its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), committing to protect at least 50% of seagrass and mangrove ecosystems by 2025 and 100% by 2030, with external support. Hence, Belize sets concrete targets for mangrove protection, committing to restore at least 2,000 hectares of mangroves by 2025 and another 2,000 hectares by 2030.
* Former Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia. Mangrove Penetration Ambassador.