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Half of world's mangroves under hazard, states preservation group

Half of the world's. mangrove communities are at danger of collapse as an outcome of human. activity, increasing sea levels and severe weather condition, according to. the current survey by a global preservation group.

Unless action is taken, a quarter of the world's overall. mangrove areas could be completely submerged within 50 years,. with critically threatened environments in India, Sri Lanka and. the Maldives expected to bear the brunt, stated the International. Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in an assessment. released on Wednesday.

This worldwide evaluation has actually found that 50% of the mangroves. worldwide are at threat of collapse, which is much more than. what we expected, stated Marcos Valderrabano, who runs the IUCN's. Red List examining ecosystem threats.

Mangrove forests cover around 15% of the world's shorelines. and play a crucial ecological and financial function, filtering water. and supplying reproducing grounds for fish and other marine life.

In addition to saving an estimated 11 billion tons of carbon,. mangroves also act as an essential buffer that safeguards. coastal communities versus storm surges and floods.

Singapore, which lost practically all of its seaside mangrove. environments as an outcome of substantial land reclamation, is presently. planning a restoration program that will assist protect its. low-lying shoreline against rising sea levels.

Switzerland-based IUCN assembled more than 250 specialists to. perform the survey, and found that climate change was currently. impacting the spatial distribution of mangrove forests. Damaging. environment modifications were likewise being driven by the widespread. diversion of freshwater for watering purposes, it stated.

Valderrabano stated mangroves require help to adapt to climate. modification and become more resilient.

This will be important if we want to prevent some mangrove. communities from vanishing altogether, he stated.

(source: Reuters)