Mangrove forests are healing after decades of human destruction
Get the Energy newsletter
Daily energy & climate — solar, EVs, oil, the policy fights and tech bets shaping the transition. Free.
- Mangrove forests have been expanding globally since 2010, with net gains now outweighing losses, according to a new study.
- Net loss of mangrove area worldwide has fallen from over 12,000 sq km (1980s‑2010) to about 849 sq km.
- Indonesia halted mangrove clearing after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami raised public awareness, and fish‑farm conversion has slowed.
- Myanmar saw mangrove cover grow after Cyclone Nargis in 2008 and a 2016 national logging ban.
- Landsat satellite imagery revealed far more new mangrove trees than earlier surveys, enabling the updated assessment.
Why it matters: Coastal communities and fisheries worldwide benefit from the 849 sq km reduction in mangrove loss, which boosts carbon sequestration and storm protection, while developers lose land‑clearance opportunities.
