Planting mangroves to save coasts and counter climate change is deeply flawed in practice, say scientists, though success increases when local communities are involved. | Photo of mangrove seedlings by Arieff Zafir
Writer: Aidila Razak | Editor: SL Wong
Cartographers: Irma Garnesia and Louis Lugas
Published: 21 September, 2026
Mangroves are are much better at combatting the climate crisis than rainforests. Yet they are being cut down faster than rainforests. So we need to protect and restore mangroves. But funding is perpetually short.
Enter blue carbon credits, which allows polluters to pay to maintain these natural carbon sinks. For one, the funding can go towards restoring mangroves that have been degraded and destroyed. But before we get into carbon credits, are current restoration efforts working?
Read our #BLUECARBON investigation in 4 parts. Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
(Image: Indigenous planters head to a planting site; success rates are higher when communities are involved. | Photo by Arieff Zafir)
