Mangrove forests are coastal rainforests, also known as “tidal forests” or “coastal woodlands”. These forests and situated at the interface between land and sea in tropical and subtropical areas and can withstand the harsh conditions of high salinity, extreme tides, strong winds, high temperatures, low oxygen, and muddy soil. Gifted with breathing and deep roots they anchor the soil and play an important role in the risk-reduction strategy.   are one of the most productive ecosystems in the world.

The real tragedy is that over the years the area under the mangrove forests has dwindled because of man-made and natural disasters, with India being an outlier. The apprehensions expressed by experts on declining mangrove cover are easy to understand. Coastal ecosystems like mangroves are the first line of defence against waves, typhoons, and storm surges. They also filter seawater, protecting underground freshwater reserves and providing habitat and refuge to a wide array of wildlife such as birds, fish, invertebrates, mammals, and plants.

More importantly, mangrove forests also play a significant role in meeting India’s decarbonisation goals, of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. They capture massive amounts of carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, and trap and store them in their carbon-rich flooded soils for decades.

Realising the importance of such mangrove forests, the Narendra Modi government launched the Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI) scheme as part of the Budget 2023-24. The objective of the scheme is to conserve and restore the mangrove ecosystem along the coastline, which is critical to mitigating the effects of climate change, preventing coastal erosion, and sustaining local livelihoods. This is imperative in times of climate change.