Mangrove management and climate change: a review in Indonesia

Abstract

Mangrove deforestation and degradation have been occurring at alarming rates. Indonesia, a country with the largest mangrove coverage in the world, experiences the highest mangrove loss mainly due to mangrove conversion to aquaculture. If this destruction continues, loss of a very unique ecosystem that has multi-benefits ecologically, socially and economically will happen. This paper aims to unravel the sensitivity and potential mitigation capacity of mangrove ecosystem to climate change, describe how mangroves have been managed in Indonesia and how they should be managed in the future. Studies haved confirmed the significant mitigation capacity of mangrove ecosystems to climate change, not only in terms of carbon storage and sequestration, but also the resilience and buffering capacity of this ecosystem to climate-induced catastrophic events. To ensure the existence of this ecosystem, mangrove management in Indonesia, which are mandated to Coordinating Ministry of Maritime and Investment, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Affairs, Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas) and Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, should be strengthened and improved by removing barriers and avoiding the business-as-usual practices that would lead to management failure.