Palau becomes first nation to ratify the High Seas Treaty

Rewind the clock back to 2010, to the same annual global conference on climate change—this time held in Cancún, Mexico—and it was a different story.

Human activities release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which our coastal ecosystems capture and hold in the form of “blue carbon” · Octavio Aburto

One thing was abundantly clear: everywhere in the world, climate change needed to be top of the agenda when it came to the challenges we were all facing.

Seagrasses are the only flowering plants that can thrive underwater in the ocean · Andy Mann

Coastal wetlands really were an essential piece of the climate change puzzle and key to overcoming the worst effects of climate change along coasts around the world.

The roots of mangroves play a crucial role in drawing down carbon · Cristina Mittermeier

Just as our human skin protects us, mangroves provide vital services to the land and the people who live there.

Fisheries in coastal communities quickly deteriorate if mangrove habitats are destroyed · Tim Noviello

The many mosquitoes are a sign that the mangrove swamp is teeming with life, from the tops of rustling trees to the murmuring ocean floor.

Mangrove forests have a distinctive sulfuric smell, which is part of their unique beauty · Octavio Aburto

Brazilian mangrove forests are rich in clay minerals · Flavio Forner

Octavio Aburto

Approximately 23 percent of the world’s mangroves are located in Indonesia · Shawn Heinrichs

We have encountered obstacles at every stage, but our collaborative mindset is what has helped us to prevail.

Mangrove trees hug the coastline, creating a protective layer of great ecological significance · Arun Roisri

In the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, Polopiña Island residents Susset Enolva and Nancy Cantillon moved into new houses provided by a nonprofit, but storm surges continue to be a risk · Tim Noviello

The ruins of a house destroyed by Typhoon Haiyan remain on the Philippine island of Iloilo two years after the extreme climate event · Tim Noviello

Iloilo and other nearby islands are an indication of just how many people live right next to the sea · Tim Noviello

I could not even begin to imagine what it would feel like to see, even from a distance, an impenetrable wave at least four times my height sweeping toward the island.

Climate change and rising sea levels are causing hardship for island communities around the world · Ciril Jazbec

Planting new mangroves is an important component of “green-gray” engineering · Nandini Narayanan

We need to have bold aspirations, with our heads in the clouds, while keeping our hands in the mud and creating change on a practical level.

Sinking deep down into planet Earth, mangrove mud stores carbon for thousands of years · Octavio Aburto

For decades, fishers have scoured mangrove forests for mud crabs to make a living · James Morgan

Contributors

Emily Pidgeon

Blue carbon scientist, Conservation International

Emily Pidgeon works on developing solutions for coastal and marine adaptation to climate change and on marine-based approaches for mitigation through blue carbon. She is the Senior Director of Conservation International’s Strategic Marine Initiatives.

Conservation International

Environmental organization

Conservation International (CI) works to spotlight and secure the critical benefits that nature provides to humanity. Since inception, CI has helped to protect more than 2.3 million square miles of land and sea across more than 70 countries. Building upon a strong foundation of science, partnership, and field demonstration, CI empowers societies to responsibly and sustainably care for nature, for our global biodiversity, and for the well-being of humanity.

On-the-ground projects

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Explore Only One members’ impact

Preserving lowland peat swamp forests and mangroves in Indonesian Borneo

Village communities are saving forests and wetlands that are one of the largest natural carbon stores in the world, as well as protecting and rehabilitating critically endangered orangutans.

Project·8 min read

Revitalizing coral reef infrastructure in Indonesia

Marine biologists, students, local community members, and tourists are planting 30,000 corals to fortify reefs and restore critical coastal ecosystems.

Project·7 min read

Advancing community-based mangrove restoration in Senegal

Local people are revitalizing 80,000 hectares of mangrove forest to safeguard valuable marine coastal ecosystems.

Project·8 min read

Series

Climate Warrior | Diwigdi Valiente

Diwigdi “Diwi’ Valiente is fighting to end plastic pollution in the Guna Yala comarca indígena (indigenous province) off the coast of Panama.

Video·5:22

Marine Rewilder | Martina Sasso

A former advertising executive, Martina Sasso now channels her creativity and storytelling skills into protecting one of the last wild places on Earth: Argentina’s Península Mitre.

Video·5:01

Urban Environmentalist | Pete Malinowski

Combining his passions for marine conservation and public education, Pete Malinowski aims to reintroduce one billion oysters to New York Harbor to revitalize a long neglected ecosystem.

Video·4:03

Shark Protector | Carolina Ramírez

Costa Rica-born Carolina Ramírez found herself through diving with sharks. Now, she will stop at nothing to save the creatures she loves most in the world from exploitation.

Video·5:38

Long reads

Cyclones and cultural loss: Climate justice in Vanuatu

Over 3,000 kilometers northeast of Australia lies a delicate string of 83 remote islands, an archipelago that makes up the country of Vanuatu. Here, storms and sea level rise are damaging cultural sites, fracturing local customs, language, and communities, and causing mass displacement. Vanuatu is now leading the call for international climate justice and the legal recognition of UN member states’ responsibilities to address climate change, domestically and abroad.

Article·11 min read

Indigenous wisdom in response to climate change: Integrating science and Indigenous expertise in Fiji and Samoa

In the face of climate change and severe weather events, Fiji and Samoa’s Indigenous knowledge systems highlight the need for the integration of science and Indigenous expertise to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Article·11 min read

Vanishing shores: Climate change, cultural heritage, and the resilience of the Marshall Islands community

In the Marshall Islands, a concerted community effort is fighting hard to protect not only their home, but also their identity, their landmarks, their history, and their future.

Article·10 min read

Seaweed siege: Unravelling sargassum's effect on coastal livelihoods in the Dominican Republic

Fueled by a warming ocean, the aggressive proliferation of sargassum seaweed has turned an important ecological haven in the open seas into a destructive force inundating the coastline of the Dominican Republic. Now swaths of the Dominican Republic’s shores are covered by masses of rotting algae, disrupting local communities and industries that depend on a healthy ocean. But people are working to turn this crisis into an opportunity.

Article·10 min read

Tidal threats: Displacement and resiliency in Papua New Guinea

Rising sea levels and exceptionally high tides are displacing communities across Papua New Guinea, disproportionately affecting women. Tulele Peisa, a women-led relocation organization, is setting an example for climate migration efforts around the world.

Article·8 min read

The Caribbean’s coral crisis: Ocean acidification threatens coastal livelihoods

The Caribbean is a paradise in peril — more than 50% of the Caribbean’s coral reefs could be lost by 2050. Urgent action is needed from the global community to preserve these vital ecosystems and protect the region’s economy.

Article·6 min read

Sinking islands, rising costs: The Maldives’ race against climate change

The Maldives are the lowest lying islands on Earth, and they’re sinking — by 2050, 80% of the island nation could become uninhabitable. The deterioration of coral reefs poses a threat to the country’s biodiversity, economy, and existence.

Article·9 min read

A global call for ocean protection history in Antarctica / Philippe Cousteau

This October, the countries responsible for protecting the Southern Ocean will meet to vote on the creation of three marine protected areas covering almost 4 million square kilometers of ocean. Here, Philippe Cousteau calls for action — and invites you to join the chorus.

Article·9 min read

Hurricane Dorian: Recovering from the alarming realities of a warming world

When Hurricane Dorian hit in 2019, the scenic beauty of the Bahamas was left in ruins. With climate change exacerbating the impacts of tropical weather systems more and more, genuine action is what’s needed, and everyone must play their part.

Article·7 min read

Calculating the surprising value of a mangrove forest

Mangroves are home to a diverse array of species, help protect coastlines, build economic strength, and take carbon out of the air. Ocean scientist and photographer Octavio Aburto investigates what a mangrove forest is worth to the planet and humanity today.

Article·8 min read

How mangroves can defend communities in Indonesia from the next tsunami

Aceh’s coastal villages in Indonesia were devastated by the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami. The survivors decided to plant mangroves as a buffer against future storms, and so far so good.

Article·9 min read

Floating through heaven in a mangrove forest / Cristina Mittermeier

Below the surface of a mangrove lagoon, it’s heaven on Earth. You’ll find an abundance of marine life that depends on this salty and unique ecosystem.

Article·9 min read