Stretching across nearly 15 million hectares (Mha) of shoreline globally, mangrove forests are among the world’s most carbon-dense ecosystems, holding at least twice as much carbon per hectare as boreal, temperate, and tropical forests. Due to the carbon density of these ecosystems, the loss of even a small area of mangroves, particularly when their soils are disturbed or dredged, can release an outsized amount of greenhouse gas emissions, relative to other ecosystems.  
Although average annual rates of global gross mangrove loss have slowed dramatically since the late 20th century, they appear to once again be ticking upward. From 1999 to 2019, the world lost an estimated 560,000 hectares (ha) of mangrove forests, with gross losses of these coastal wetlands increasing by an average of nearly 950 hectares per year since 2008. Accordingly, global efforts to halt conversion of mangrove forests have fallen short, and a sharp reversal in action is needed.  

Stretching across nearly 15 million hectares (Mha) of shoreline globally, mangrove forests are among the world’s most carbon-dense ecosystems, holding at least twice as much carbon per hectare as boreal, temperate, and tropical forests. Due to the carbon density of these ecosystems, the loss of even a small area of mangroves, particularly when their soils are disturbed or dredged, can release an outsized amount of greenhouse gas emissions, relative to other ecosystems.  
Although average annual rates of global gross mangrove loss have slowed dramatically since the late 20th century, they appear to once again be ticking upward. From 1999 to 2019, the world lost an estimated 560,000 hectares (ha) of mangrove forests, with gross losses of these coastal wetlands increasing by an average of nearly 950 hectares per year since 2008. Accordingly, global efforts to halt conversion of mangrove forests have fallen short, and a sharp reversal in action is needed.