Let’s protect our mangroves

Rapid and reckless urbanization around Karachi, alongside industrial developments, led to a significant loss of mangrove habitat. Pollution caused by untreated industrial effluents, deforestation, and land reclamation for housing development has further diminished these areas.

There is now even a more vigorous move by the land developers to urbanize the coastal belt of Karachi and in the process more of mangroves and city’s ecosystem would be compromised. This is a time to raise the red flag to protect the city of Karachi.

Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city and one of the most populous cities in the world, with over ‘25 million’ residents faces some critical environmental challenges. It ranks among the least green megacities globally, with less than 0.5 per cent tree canopy coverage, significantly below the global urban average of 10-20 percent.

This lack of urban greenery exacerbates climate risks, poor air quality, and the city’s overall livability, making it imperative for the civic authorities in particular to adopt transformative measures for a greener, more sustainable Karachi.

Mangroves are a novelty of nature. They are rare, spectacular and prolific ecosystems on the boundary between land and sea. These extraordinary ecosystems contribute to the wellbeing, food security, and protection of coastal communities worldwide. They support a rich biodiversity and provide a valuable nursery habitat for fish and crustaceans.

Mangroves also act as a form of natural coastal defense against storm surges, tsunamis, rising sea levels and erosion. Their soils are highly effective carbon sinks, sequestering vast amounts of carbon.

Yet mangroves are disappearing three to five times faster than overall global forest losses, with serious ecological and socio-economic impacts. Current estimates indicate that mangrove coverage has been divided by two in the past 40 years. It has been estimated that more than three-quarters of the world’s mangroves are under threat along with all the aquatic and terrestrial organisms that depend on them.

For this reason, UNESCO is acting to protect them and other valuable blue carbon ecosystems, through its networks of Biosphere Reserves, Global Geo-parks and natural World Heritage sites.“ Mangroves of Sindh have the distinction of being one of these sites.

Mangrove ecosystems in Sindh have existed for thousands of years, providing vital habitats for diverse wildlife and acting as natural barriers against coastal erosion and a source of livelihood for the indigenous communities of the land.

Karachi, not so long ago, was blessed with dense forestation of mangroves around much of its coastal belt and a large part of it was a habitat for migrant birds from far-off lands. One could see a spectacular view of thousands of pelican migrants from Siberia nesting in the vicinity. There is no more to see any of it.

The deforestation of mangroves has denied the citizens of Karachi their right to better air quality, the indigenous communities of their source of livelihood and the birds of their habitats - another blatant example of elite capture at the expense of the silent majority of the country.

While addressing the 3rd Pakistan Climate Conference 2025, organised by the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI), Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah informed the gathering that mangrove plantation has earned the Sindh government about $50 million through carbon credits.

Another project the chief minister highlighted was the development of two 10,000-acre forest blocks through public-private partnerships with a revenue model that also has the potential to earn carbon credits.

Around 500 million mangrove trees will be planted in this project, which are expected to sequester 262 million tonnes of greenhouse gases over the project’s life, allowing millions of dollars of earnings in carbon credits annually.

Carbon credits are permits that allow companies to emit a certain amount of carbon dioxide (CO2), with each credit representing one tonne of CO2. Carbon credits are priced in US dollars, with the price varying based on factors such as project type, location, and the specific carbon market.

Though, time and again, the concerned citizens and entities like OICCI raise red flag to highlight the awareness and dangers of climate change, the government response and delivery on ground do not correspond to the urgency the subject matter demands.

Then there is an issue of transparency in utilization of funds granted by donors for disasters arising out of climate change. Experts at a workshop organised by Transparency International (TI) called for transparent use of climate funds in Pakistan so that projects aimed at tackling climate change could be shored up successfully to safeguard people and the country.

Pakistan is ranked as the 5th most vulnerable country to climate change, as the country’s yearly climate change losses have reached $4 billion. TI experts reported that 80% of crops were destroyed in Sindh in 2022 floods while 30 million people were affected.

This by all standards is a calamity to be seriously concerned about, affecting mostly the silent and lower end of the citizens of the land who lose their dwellings and self-sustaining crops to start all over again.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025