Mangrove Restoration: Safeguards for climate-resilient ecosystems and communities

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) discusses the integration of social and environmental safeguards into mangrove restoration projects to ensure climate resilience for both ecosystems and communities. It emphasizes that effective restoration must move beyond simple planting metrics to include biophysical variables and socio-economic indicators. The document provides a framework of safeguards based on Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) guidelines and illustrates their application through the Natur’ELLES project in Senegal, which focuses on gender equality, climate adaptation, and economic development.

• Mangrove ecosystems have faced significant decline, with an estimated 20%–35% of mangroves disappearing over the last 50 years. Between 2000 and 2020, 43.3% of global mangrove loss was attributed to rice cultivation, oil palm plantations, and aquaculture.
• Effective mangrove restoration requires a holistic approach that considers biophysical variables—such as sediment budgets, hydrological regimes, and elevation above sea level—rather than relying solely on the number of seedlings planted or the total hectares restored.
• The document outlines a framework of social and environmental safeguards for mangrove restoration based on CBD guidelines. These include conducting environmental impact assessments (EIAs), preventing the transfer of risks to connected ecosystems like coral reefs, ensuring inclusive participation of Indigenous and local knowledge holders, and performing gender analyses to target the most vulnerable social groups.
• The Natur’ELLES project in Senegal (2023-2026) demonstrates the application of these safeguards by using site-specific species selection—Rhizophora in Casamance and Avicennia in the Sine-Saloum delta—and implementing comprehensive biodiversity monitoring, including bird counts and pollen analysis from bees.
• Gender-responsive programming in the Natur’ELLES project addressed specific vulnerabilities, such as women's limited access to financial services and their high burden of unpaid work. Results include 661 women enrolled in literacy programs, 79 women in leadership training, and a three-fold increase in women's representation in environmental management committees over two years.
• Failures in mangrove restoration are often linked to a lack of technical training in species and site selection, inadequate long-term monitoring and post-planting care, and poor coordination between implementing organizations.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (n.d.). Mangrove Restoration: Safeguards for climate-resilient ecosystems and communities. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-04/mangrove-restoration-safeguards.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Mangrove Restoration: Safeguards for climate-resilient ecosystems and communities. n.d. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-04/mangrove-restoration-safeguards.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Mangrove Restoration: Safeguards for climate-resilient ecosystems and communities |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-04/mangrove-restoration-safeguards.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopmentndmangrove, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Mangrove Restoration: Safeguards for climate-resilient ecosystems and communities}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-04/mangrove-restoration-safeguards.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }