International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem
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The International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem is a UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) holiday celebrated every year on 26 July.
International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem | |
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Type | International |
Celebrations | UNESCO |
Begins | 2016 |
Date | 26 July |
Next time | 26 July 2024 (2024-07-26) |
This International Day was designated by the General Conference of UNESCO in 2015 and it was first held in July 2016.[1]
Mangroves are prolific ecosystems, supporting rich biodiversity, and their soils are effective carbon sinks.[2] They also form natural coastal barriers against storm surges.[3]
Yet, according to UNESCO, some countries lost more than 40% of their mangroves between 1980 and 2005.[4]
UNESCO's protection of the mangrove ecosystem involves the inclusion of mangroves in Biosphere Reserves, World Heritage sites and UNESCO Global Geoparks[2] as well as the protection of the blue carbon ecosystem.[5]