How mangrove afforestation can fight the adverse effects of climate change

We often see biodiversity being negatively impacted by development, but then there are times when livelihood is threatened by regulations becoming increasingly stringent for environmental protection needs. 

Nature-based solutions (NbS) do not conform to either of these extremities. Instead, if a problem is identified, NbS aims to develop solutions that can both safeguard biodiversity and contribute to human welfare by utilising nature's own flow. 

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), "Nature-based Solutions are actions to protect, sustainably manage and restore natural and modified ecosystems in ways that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, to provide both human well-being and biodiversity benefits." IUCN has also produced a "Nature-based Solutions Global Standard," which has eight criteria for being considered an NbS. 

It is important to acknowledge that NbS should consider how biodiversity will benefit both nature and human beings. For example, tree plantation on a long-term basis is an NbS that will provide a habitat for animals or birds. But if only one or two species are included there, it is not an NbS. 

One of the leading experts working with NbS in Bangladesh, Haseeb Md Irfanullah, says there are some differences between natural-based and nature-driven solutions. 

Installing a solar panel or solar osmosis can be called a 'nature-driven' solution. But since biodiversity is not included here, it is not an NbS. On the other hand, community-based sustainable management of wetlands, forests and coastal afforestation with diverse mangrove species is an example of NbS, as both people and biodiversity benefit from these initiatives.

Bangladesh is at the forefront of climate change impacts and disasters. People living in coastal areas, including the Sundarbans, are constantly battling the damaging consequences of cyclones, floods, coastal erosion and other disasters. They are ecologically vulnerable, economically poor and affected by climate change. 

When Cyclone Aila reached the coast of Bangladesh, the coastal people witnessed one of the worst disasters of their time. The storm destroyed their livelihood. While conventional measures to prevent these, such as hard flood defence, have become impossible and unsustainable, Nature-based Solutions are emerging as important tools for adapting to climate change.

A systematic review article was published in November 2021 in the 'Frontiers in Environmental Science' by AC Smith and five other authors. The article's focus is on NbS, particularly in Bangladesh, and addressing knowledge deficits in climate action. 

This study found strong evidence that NbS can provide resilient and effective protection from climate risk and support sustainable development and biodiversity growth. According to the article, around 1.1 to 3.5 million people in Bangladesh were protected from coastal floods during cyclones by mangroves, which could reduce storm damage by 50%. 

In addition, using nature-based agriculture can reduce the cost of farming in Bangladesh by 75%. The study further states that 91% of NbS studies in Bangladesh reported positive adaptation results.

Although the word Nature-based Solution seems new, people have adopted this practice at different times in different countries, including Bangladesh. During the floods in the southern and northern parts of Bangladesh, people met their food needs through floating agriculture, which also played a role in conserving biodiversity. 

In addition, fish farming in the same reservoir means there is no need for separate land to cultivate different vegetables. In India, farmers in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have an age-old tradition that can be presented as an example of a Nature-based Solution. 

These farmers make a type of 'seed ball' by drying the seeds of different fruits in the sun with a thick layer of black soil, which are then thrown at the foot of hills and roadsides during festivities before the seasonal rains begin. Later, trees grow out of these seed balls soaked in rainwater, and gradually extensive forests are created. All these conventional practices of human beings can be called Nature-based solutions to solve various problems of life and livelihood. 

The International Center for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) recently organised a 'Global Gobeshona Conference 2' in Bangladesh, where three sessions on NbS were held. 

Speakers at the sessions indicated that NbS terminology is typically unfamiliar to different groups of people. As a result, it is critical to simplify the terminology in words that can be easily understood. They also mentioned that the government of Bangladesh already included NbS in several national policies like the 8th Five-year plan, Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan, etc. However, there is no detail on what kind of NbS interventions the government will take or how they will be implemented.

In other developed countries, people are ready to sacrifice immediate outcomes for NbS because they do not have to worry about their food security, but in the context of Bangladesh, the NbS that will be introduced should have long and short-term economic benefits for the people. 

Hence, we have to be careful about how we choose to define NbS for our projects. There are some initiatives in motion. For instance, SAJIDA Foundation has begun work on building a mangrove forest around the climate-vulnerable Gabura Union alongside other NGOs working in this area. They are also emphasising scaling up existing NbS practices and enlisting NbS interventions that other organisations have been working on for the past several years.

The mangrove plantation at Gabura Union in Satkhira can be an example set up by the Center for Natural Resource Studies (CNRS) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature-IUCN through community participation. 

In 2009, the area was severely damaged by cyclone Aila. In 2014, CNRS and IUCN, along with the local community, established a mangrove forest on the bank of the Kholpetua River in Gabura. During a field visit in January 2022, I learned from the locals that the forest is currently a bulwark to protect that part of Gabura from cyclones and storm surges. 

There has been an increase in biodiversity e.g., an increase in abundance and diversity of birds in the planted mangrove forest, people collecting honey, firewood for themselves and fodder for their cattle. Moreover, two cyclones named Amphan in May 2020 and Yash in May 2021 severely damaged other parts of Gabura, yet this part of the mangrove forest remained intact, protecting the houses and livelihoods of residents. 

The mangrove afforestation project led by the NGO Friendship, spread out ​​over 100 hectares, is another example of Nature-based Solutions in the vulnerable coastal region. They set up their mangrove nursery for this project and planted more than 3,00,000 mangrove trees at Nakna in Asashuni Upazilla of Shatkhira district. Although the trees in this forest are still relatively small, many species, including beehives, are already found here. When I visited this forest last January, we saw some women collecting dry firewood for their cooking and grass for their cattle. 

However while some NGOs are implementing different types of initiatives, the combined NbS interventions are still inadequate.

For Nature-based solution approaches, scaling up is important. There are some local success stories, but the same kinds of initiatives are being repeated by different organisations. There is a need for developing more innovative solutions in this regard. 

In addition, steps need to be taken to replicate the existing small initiatives on a larger scale and for a larger audience. As the impacts of climate change continue to worsen and threaten vulnerable communities across the nation, we must incorporate NbS into our action plan for climate change adaptation and mitigation. 

To successfully integrate NbS for both climate and development solutions, it is important to increase our capacity regarding issues such as NbS knowledge, implementation and governance.

Mohammad Julfiqar Haider is a Program Development Officer, Climate Change and Disaster Management Unit, SAJIDA Foundation. Email: [email protected]

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.