世界经济论坛-投资红树林_企业剧本（英）-2025.4_46页_7mb

Summary of Investing in Mangroves: The Corporate Playbook

Core Content

This document outlines the strategic importance of investing in mangroves as a means to address climate, nature and social crises while generating economic value. It provides a comprehensive guide for corporations seeking to integrate mangrove-positive actions into their sustainability and climate strategies.

Main Points

Mangroves as a Powerful Solution

• Mangroves offer significant environmental, social, and economic benefits, including:

  • Carbon sequestration up to 10 times greater than mature tropical forests.
  • Storage of 3–5 times more carbon per hectare than terrestrial forests.
  • Protection against extreme weather events, such as tidal waves and floods.
  • Support for biodiversity, including 341 threatened or endangered species.
  • Enhancement of food security and water treatment.
  • Contribution to livelihoods, especially for fishing communities.
  • Potential for tourism and gender equality through women-led gleaning activities.

• These ecosystems are critical for a just transition and align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to climate action, life below water, and sustainable communities.

Challenges in Mangrove Investment

• Despite their importance, mangroves are among the most threatened ecosystems, with:

  • Half of all mangroves destroyed since 1950.
  • 50% of remaining mangroves under threat.
  • 17% of mangroves lost between 1996 and 2016 are not restorable.
  • Threats include sea-level rise, extreme weather events, and land-use changes such as aquaculture and palm oil plantations.

• Key challenges for corporate investment include:

  • Unclear project economics and revenue streams.
  • Complex land tenure issues, especially in coastal regions.
  • Fragmented regulatory frameworks across terrestrial and marine jurisdictions.
  • Misalignment between investor expectations and local needs.

Enabling High-Quality Corporate Action

• Corporations can drive mangrove-positive investment by:

  • Aligning with the High-Quality Blue Carbon Principles and Guidance.
  • Engaging in multi-stakeholder collaboration to enhance project quality and impact.
  • Ensuring local communities are incentivized and involved in sustainable mangrove investments.
  • Adopting jurisdictional and landscape approaches to maximize intervention value.
  • Building coalitions to improve market access for viable mangrove-positive investments.

• The Playbook emphasizes the need for:

  • A structured, science-based approach to mangrove investment.
  • Integration of mangrove action into broader corporate strategies for climate and nature.
  • Transparent and effective collaboration between corporations, project developers, investors, and local stakeholders.

Four Avenues for Mangrove-Positive Action

1. Sustainability Credit Buying: Purchasing carbon and biodiversity credits from mangrove projects.
2. Supply Chain Engagement: Integrating mangroves into supply chain strategies, such as supporting sustainable aquaculture.
3. Project Development: Directly developing mangrove conservation and restoration projects.
4. Ancillary Engagement: Engaging in activities that indirectly support mangrove ecosystems, such as policy advocacy and awareness campaigns.

Key Takeaways

• Embedding Integrity: High-quality mangrove projects must be designed with transparency, effectiveness, and alignment with local needs.
• Corporate Leadership: Companies have a pivotal role in driving mangrove conservation and restoration, as they can create strategic value and support global sustainability goals.
• Nexus Approach: Mangroves offer a unique opportunity to address interconnected challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and social inequality.
• Economic Value: Mangrove-positive investments can generate commercial value through cost savings, resilience, and stackable carbon and biodiversity credits.
• Reputational Risk Mitigation: Investors must leverage expertise and align with local realities to ensure credibility and avoid reputational risks.

Conclusion

Mangroves are a critical component of the global effort to combat climate and nature crises. By adopting a systemic, integrated approach, corporations can play a transformative role in driving mangrove-positive investment. This Playbook provides a roadmap for companies to align their sustainability strategies with the opportunities offered by mangroves, ensuring that their actions are both impactful and economically viable.