Reviving coastal forests

Mida Creek is a coastal lagoon and mangrove habitat located along Kenya’s Indian Ocean coastline, near the town of Watamu, about 100 kilometers north of Mombasa. This vital ecosystem, one of Africa’s most ecologically significant mangrove habitats, has suffered from overharvesting, destructive fishing, urbanization, and unchecked tourism. These pressures have eroded biodiversity and livelihoods in a region reliant on fishing and small-scale agriculture. Through the efforts of Community-Based Environmental Conservation (COBEC), a grassroots organization founded in 2009 in Kilifi County, this degradation is now being reversed. Supported by UNDP’s Climate Promise, COBEC is actively restoring these mangrove forests while simultaneously supporting local livelihoods and strengthening community resilience. 

The organization has planted over 12,000 mangrove seedlings, revitalizing breeding grounds for marine life and boosting carbon sequestration. These efforts are community-driven, with large-scale participation during global observance days like World Environment Day. Youth engagement has played a crucial role and over 200 young people have been trained as Community Climate Resilience Ambassadors, forming the grassroots “Youth for Climate Action” movement.   

“I once thought climate change was too big for a young person from my community to tackle. Now, I’m leading local action – mobilizing peers, raising awareness, and guiding youth in planting mangrove seedlings – thanks to the training and support I received,” says Madaraka Katana, Climate Resilience Ambassador from the Debaso Youth Group in Kilifi. 

Inclusivity is at the heart of COBEC’s approach. Women and people with disabilities received training in mangrove restoration and now lead local projects through newly formed groups, promoting environmental care while creating economic opportunities.  

“Before, we saw mangroves only as firewood. But through COBEC and UNDP’s support, we now see them as life. We’ve learned to protect what protects us. As women, we’ve restored the environment, found our voices, and begun earning income – from selling seedlings to running small businesses like my clothing shop. It hasn’t been easy, especially convincing others to change, but we are proof that conservation and community can grow together,” says Imelda Amina Kenga, a community member involved with COBEC in Kilifi. 

COBEC has also expanded its impact through digital advocacy, reaching over 7,000 people via its “Adopt-A-Mangrove” campaign. This campaign helped form the Mida Mangroves Working Group, an alliance of 51 local stakeholders focused on policy and coordination.  

In schools, 1,800 students across 24 institutions have been engaged in environmental education, supported by tree planting and reactivated eco-clubs. These classrooms are now hubs of sustainability and future leadership. 

COBEC’s work aligns with Kenya’s climate goals and global frameworks such as the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals. Through nature-based, inclusive action, the organization is proving that local solutions can drive global change, restoring not just ecosystems, but also community hope and resilience.  

Across Viet Nam’s 3,200-kilometre coastline, mangrove forests are emerging as a vital line of defense in the country’s climate response. Though they cover just 1 percent of the national forest area, these unique coastal ecosystems provide crucial services – protecting shorelines from storms, supporting biodiversity, and storing vast amounts of carbon. With support from UNDP, and funding from the UK’s DEFRA, Viet Nam is taking a significant step forward in restoring these vital mangroves, using nature-based solutions to meet national climate goals. 

Led by the Research Institute of Forest Ecology and Environment (RIFEE), the project assessed biomass and carbon stocks across mangroves in 28 coastal provinces and used the data to build a comprehensive mangrove carbon database that can support more informed climate planning and blue carbon finance opportunities. The findings revealed that Viet Nam’s mangroves store nearly 88 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e), with the highest concentrations in the Southwest and Southeast regions, particularly in Ca Mau, Ho Chi Minh City, and Quang Ninh provinces.  

“These mangrove forests may be small in area, but they provide essential ecosystem services – from coastal protection to carbon sequestration,” said Mr. Trieu Van Luc, Deputy Director General of the Viet Nam Forestry Administration. He emphasized both Viet Nam’s vulnerability to climate change and the government’s commitment to act through national strategies, legal frameworks, and restoration programmes. 

Viet Nam’s mangroves are biologically diverse, comprising 36 true mangrove species across the North, Central, and South regions. The project’s measurements show an average of 588 tonnes of CO₂e per hectare, with above-ground biomass accounting for the majority of carbon stocks. These findings have been integrated into the national Coastal Forest Database System, helping improve measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems, guide investment, and inform coastal forest management policies. 

The work in Viet Nam is part of UNDP’s broader efforts across countries that prioritize protecting and restoring blue carbon ecosystems like mangroves not only as a climate mitigation strategy but also as a pathway to resilience and thriving coastal communities. As Viet Nam moves toward net zero by 2050, these forests remain a cornerstone of that ambition.