India joins MAC, at 27th session of COP27 in Egypt

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India has joined the Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC) at the 27th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP27) at Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt.

Important facts

• After joining the alliance, India called for the integration of mangrove conservation with reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) programs for carbon sequestration.

• Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said studies have shown that mangrove forests can absorb four to five times more carbon emissions than landed tropical forests. 

What are Mangroves?

• These are small trees and shrubs that grow along the coast and thrive in salt water and develop into unique forests on land and sea shore.

• Mangrove ecosystems are one of the most productive and ecologically important ecosystems in the world.

• They offer significant climate change mitigation and adaptation co-benefits because they are able to store carbon up to 400 percent faster than land-based tropical rainforests.

• They protect coastal areas from rising sea levels, erosion and storms and provide breeding grounds for marine biodiversity.

• About 80 percent of the world's fish population depend on these ecosystems for their survival.

• India contributes about half of the total mangrove cover in South Asia and the Sundarbans in West Bengal has the highest percentage of mangrove cover in India.

• West Bengal has the highest percentage of mangrove cover in India. It is followed by Gujarat and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

• Maharashtra, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Goa and Kerala also have mangroves.

About Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC)

• MAC is an intergovernmental coalition that seeks to accelerate the conservation and restoration of mangrove ecosystems.

• India is among the first five countries to join the MAC, which includes Australia, Japan, Spain and Sri Lanka.