Thriving mangroves are key to the health of nature and effective climate action. Global Mangrove Watch (GMW) is an online platform that provides the remote sensing data and tools for monitoring mangroves necessary for this. It gives universal access to near real-time information on where and what changes there are to mangroves across the world, and highlights why they are valuable.

With hi-res information on topography, soil conditions and hydrology, Global Mangrove Watch gives coastal and park managers, conservationists, policymakers and practitioners the evidence needed to respond to illegal logging, pinpoint the causes of local mangrove loss and track restoration progress. It is a tool that can help mangroves be central to climate mitigation, adaptation and sustainable development plans and policies.

The Global mangrove Watch (GMW) was established in 2011 under the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) Kyoto & Carbon Initiative by Aberystwyth University, solo Earth Observation and the International Water Management Institute, with the aim to provide open access geospatial information about mangrove extent and changes to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. In collaboration with Wetlands International and with support from DOB Ecology, the first GMW baseline maps were released in 2018 at the Ramsar COP13. The GMW maps also constitute the official mangrove datasets used by UNEP for reporting on Sustainable Development Goal 6.6.1 (change in the extent of water-related ecosystems over time).

With support from the Oak Foundation, COmON Foundation, DOB Ecology and the Dutch Postcode Lottery, The Nature Conservancy, Wetlands International, Aberystwyth University, and soloEO in 2019 initiated a deeper collaboration, and are working with NASA, JAXA, IWMI, UNEP-WCMC and a host of partners to develop the Global Mangrove Watch Platform.

A coordinated effort across sectors and geographies will accomplish more, faster. Global Mangrove Watch is the evidence base informing the Global Mangrove Alliance, a collaboration of organisations working to halt mangrove loss, restore half, and double protection by 2030. Learn more at MangroveAlliance.org.