Ambitious plans announced to conserve and rehabilitate mangrove ecosystems to combat carbon emissions cover 600,000 hectares
INDONESIA’S Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Bapak Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, revealed on 26th February 2024 the government’s initiative to conserve 400,000 hectares of mangroves and rehabilitate an additional 75,000 hectares of existing mangrove areas in collaboration with the World Bank and other relevant ministries and institutions.
The comprehensive plan aims to rehabilitate a total of 600,000 hectares of mangrove forests along Indonesia’s coastal areas, harnessing the significant carbon absorption capacity of mangroves to contribute to the country’s green economic transformation and generate sustainable blue carbon.
Highlighting the importance of mangrove rehabilitation in mitigating climate change, Pak Pandjaitan emphasised Indonesia’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions as outlined in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) document, with mangrove conservation playing a crucial role in achieving emission reduction targets.
The minister underscored the necessity of stakeholder integration and community empowerment to ensure the success of the program, emphasising that the mangrove ecosystem not only serves as carbon storage but also offers alternative livelihood opportunities for coastal communities.
Pak Pandjaitan’s announcement comes amid alarming climate data from the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), which indicates a 1.5-degree Celsius increase in global temperatures compared to pre-industrial levels, leading to significant ecological changes and natural phenomena worldwide.
In response to these climate challenges, Pak Pandjaitan emphasised the urgency of mitigation efforts to reduce carbon emissions, underscoring the critical role of initiatives like mangrove conservation in fostering environmental resilience and sustainability.
Source: Antara News
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