The world’s first International Mangrove Center (IMC) was officially established in Shenzhen on Nov. 6, with representatives from the first batch of 18 member countries jointly signing an agreement on its establishment.
Adapted to living in salt and brackish water, mangroves are found along coasts and estuaries in 123 countries in the tropics and subtropics, according to the U.N. Environment Program. Mangrove forests provide protection against storms, erosion, and flooding, improve water quality, offer natural habitats to over 1,500 species, and benefit adjacent ecosystems such as coral reefs.
An aerial photo of a mangrove forest in Dapeng New District. Liu Xudong
Official data show that Shenzhen has 36,100 hectares of wetlands. Mangroves cover 296 hectares, and 61% of the wetlands have been designated as protected conservation areas. In the past two years, Shenzhen has created 15.48 hectares of mangrove forests and restored 103 hectares of existing mangrove forests.
The Futian Mangrove National Nature Reserve stands as the world’s only untouched urban wetland situated in the heart of a city. The wetland and Hong Kong’s Mai Po Inner Deep Bay Ramsar Site form crucial stopovers sites for migratory birds.
China’s proposal for the establishment of the IMC in Shenzhen was approved by the Standing Committee of the Ramsar Convention at its 62nd meeting in Geneva in September last year.
The center, an important platform for promoting mangrove exchanges and international cooperation, will establish a global cooperation mechanism for mangroves and coastal blue carbon ecosystems characterized by openness, inclusiveness, co-building, sharing, and win-win cooperation.