Mangrove protection 'essential for slowing climate change'

Mangrove deforestation in Indonesia emits 190 million tonnes of CO₂-eq annually, which accounts for 42% of the world’s annual emissions from the destruction of coastal ecosystem services (that is, marshes, mangroves and sea grasses). That’s the same amount of emissions as if every car in Indonesia drove around the world twice. “We hope that these numbers help policymakers see mangroves as a huge opportunity for climate change mitigation,” says Daniel Murdiyarso, Principal Scientist at CIFOR and lead author of the paper.