Singapore, Jan. 20 -- Mangroves absorb more carbon from the atmosphere than previously measured and also help mitigate damage in a devastating storm.
Both elements have major policy implications for coastal Asia, particularly South-east Asia, experts say, because they underscore the value of mangroves in buffering low-lying coastal regions against sea-level rise and storm surges, as well as their carbon sequestration potential.
Mangroves' capacity to absorb and store carbon represents a huge opportunity for countries in the region, in particular Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, to meet their climate mitigation goals.
A study by The Nature Conservancy on the role of mangroves during Hurricane Irma used an insurance-industry catastrophe ...