CATIE Researcher Lenin Corrales Participates in IUCN's Global Mangrove Assessment

• CATIE has been a key player in mangrove research and conservation in the region with projects

The first global assessment of mangroves for the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List of Ecosystems revealed that all mangroves in the Central American region and the Caribbean are categorized as "Vulnerable."

Additionally, the study warns that 50% of evaluated mangrove ecosystems worldwide are at risk of collapse.

This assessment involved over 250 experts from 44 countries, including Lenin Corrales, a researcher from CATIE's Climate Action Unit, who notably contributed as an expert member for Central America and the Caribbean mangroves.

Corrales collaborated in this evaluation alongside specialists from research institutions such as the IUCN Ecosystem Management Commission, the IUCN Species Survival Commission, and the Global Mangrove Alliance.

The findings of the assessment

Key findings from the assessment indicate that without significant changes by 2050, climate change and sea-level rise will lead to the loss of 1.8 billion tons of stored carbon, valued at a minimum of USD 13 billion in voluntary carbon markets.

Additionally, the crucial role of mangroves in protecting 2.1 million lives from coastal flooding, along with a USD 36 billion investment in property protection and the sustainability of fishing, with a potential loss of 17 million days of fishing effort annually, is highlighted.

The assessment concludes that maintaining mangrove ecosystems is crucial for mitigating the effects of climate change, as healthy mangroves are better equipped to withstand sea-level rise and provide protection against natural phenomena such as hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones.

CATIE has been a key player in mangrove research and conservation in the region, with projects including:

1. Evaluating land use dynamics and mitigation potential in the Gulf of Nicoya.
2. Publishing the Central American Manual for Blue Carbon Measurement.
3. Supporting the development of mangrove conservation strategies in the Gulf of Nicoya, in collaboration with SINAC.
4. Engaging in large-scale mangrove restoration efforts in Costa Rica and Dominican Republic
5. Developing the first official mangrove ecosystem map in Costa Rica in 2021.