Embracing Hope: Aspirations for COP28 and the Mangrove Breakthrough
We've been defining our aspirations ahead of another pivotal global conference on climate change. Inspired by our friends at the Global Mangrove Alliance (GMA), who we have been working with for over a year now as a creative partner, we’ve been thinking about what real positives could come from this year’s COP28 event.
Evie Grove
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Let’s face it, our collective path towards a sustainable world has at times been paved with broken promises. These disappointments in the face of accelerating climate breakdown lead to weariness, and wariness. Making it feel easier to disengage, than nurture optimism. But, nurture we must!
A Mangrove Moment
Mangroves are vital ecosystems, offering benefits such as coastal protection, biodiversity support, and carbon sequestration. Their protection, restoration and expansion are an essential tool in the fight against climate breakdown.
And so the Global Mangrove Alliance, in collaboration with the UN Climate Change High-level Champions, have co-created the 'Mangrove Breakthrough.' This global initiative, grounded in science, articulates measurable and achievable goals for non-state actors and governments. Its overarching aim is to collectively restore and protect 15 million hectares of mangroves worldwide by 2030, safeguarding their future.
The Mangrove Breakthrough was launched at COP27, and since then its founders have been growing a ‘Community of action’. We hope that the Mangrove Breakthrough will see its momentum building even further at COP28 - with the following events slated :
December 1: The Mangrove Breakthrough and the Coral Reef Breakthrough will join to talk and present on how both initiatives can help deliver on the Global Biodiversity Framework and Paris Agreement goals.
December 4: The Mangrove Breakthrough Financial Roadmap will be launched as a part of ‘Financing Mangroves at Scale’ event. This will highlight the actionable recommendations for scaling mangrove-positive business models and developing innovative financial instruments to accelerate investment in mangroves.
December 9: The ‘Breakthrough Moment for Mangroves: Delivering Global Action on Mangrove Restoration and Protection’ event. This will be a celebration of the progress made on the Mangrove Breakthrough, providing a platform for the announcement of new commitments, as well as issuing a call to action for actors to unite around the Mangrove Breakthrough 2030 goals.
An ideal outcome
To realise the ambitious goals of the Mangrove Breakthrough, unlocking $4 billion in investments by 2030 is essential, and COP28 holds the potential to catalyse this vital financial commitment. As well as see many more supporters signing up to the Breakthrough. So here’s to turning the disappointments of the past into stepping stones for a more sustainable and hopeful future!
