Earthna Center for a Sustainable Future (Earthna), a member of Qatar Foundation (QF), has joined international conservation coalition, the Global Mangrove Alliance (GMA).
Mangrove forests are critical marine ecosystems, but they’re disappearing at a rapid rate. In fact, 67 per cent of global mangroves have been lost to date, with an additional 1 per cent lost each year, and their destruction has wide-reaching implications.
The Global Mangrove Alliance launched back in 2018 at the World Ocean Summit, and according to the alliance, aims to bring together technical experts, civil society organisations, governments, local communities, businesses, funding agencies, and foundations to accelerate coordinated global action to conserve and restore mangroves.
More broadly, the alliance seeks to expand the global mangrove habitat by 20 per cent by 2030.
The alliance includes leading international organisations such as Conservation International, The International Union for the Conservation of Nature, The Nature Conservancy, Wetlands International and World Wildlife Fund, among others.
Speaking on the announcement, Dr Gonzalo Castro de la Mata, Executive Director of Earthna, said: “Mangrove forests play an incredible role in advancing global sustainability and the fight against climate change. They absorb high-levels of carbon, buffer against the impacts of climate change like storm surges and sea level rise, support biodiversity, improve water quality, and prevent coastal erosion.
“By working closely with the Global Mangroves Alliance and its partners, Earthna will leverage collective expertise and resources to help safeguard these critical coastal habitats here in Qatar, and worldwide.”