Getting the best of carbon bang for mangrove restoration buck

Background

Mangrove forest restoration projects have a range of benefits, like carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development, that are important for different stakeholders. An analysis of the economic benefits and returns of mangrove restoration at country-level scales can encourage future support from these key investors and decision makers.

Goals and Methods

This study assesses net ecosystem service value (ESV) changes between mangrove forests and other land uses, cost-benefit analyses of potential restoration projects, and economic returns on mangrove restoration from blue carbon markets. The authors compiled data from online literature and database searches; calculated carbon accumulation rates and economic parameters using mathematical models; divided mangrove ESVs into four main categories (provisioning, regulating, cultural, supporting); and compared mangrove and other land use ESVs at the country-level.

Conclusions and Takeaways

Global estimates of land use change and mangrove loss between 1996 to 2019 resulted in a net $29.2 billion ESV loss per year. However, the global net benefit-cost ratio of potential mangrove restoration on all suitable aquaculture and tidal flat areas is $5.78-13.9, with the ratio increasing over time due to decreasing investment costs. Additionally, carbon accumulation rates estimate an annual increase of 1.35 teragrams of soil organic carbon stock from mangrove restoration, which could yield $68.6-444 million from global blue carbon markets (depending on the price per ton of carbon dioxide equivalent), highlighting the significant economic benefits of mangrove restoration projects.