The Patchwork Quilt of Global Mangrove Conservation: Mapping the Landscape of International Treaties

Authors

Pradip Kumar Sarker, Chair of Tropical and International Forestry, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, GermanyFollow
Md Faisal Abedin Khan, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, BangladeshFollow
Fredy Polo Villanueva, Chair of Tropical and International Forestry, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, GermanyFollow
Lukas Giessen, Chair of Tropical and International Forestry, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, GermanyFollow

DOI

10.24259/fs.v9i2.43276

Abstract

Mangroves at the land-sea interface offer invaluable goods and services through their unique ecosystem. Society has responded by developing governance mechanisms to manage these resources sustainably, which is crucial for societal well-being. The global environmental governance landscape is a complex network of treaty-based regimes addressing various ecological challenges. This study aims to examine the treaty-based regimes governing mangrove conservation, systematically mapping and identifying authoritative global mangrove regimes. It analyses the fragmentation scale regarding synergies, conflicts, and neutral relationships between global environmental treaties. Online scoping reviews and content analysis revealed that the Ramsar Convention serves as the legal authority of the global mangrove regime. The study highlights positive interactions and cooperative mechanisms between the mangrove regime and 17 other environmental regimes. Future research should explore how regime secretariats customise policies to make them legally binding and synergise fragmented regimes, emphasising robust inter-regime communication and joint initiatives. Additionally, China’s management of the International Mangrove Centre presents a promising research avenue, focusing on the sustainable conservation and use of mangroves.

Recommended Citation

Sarker, Pradip Kumar; Khan, Md Faisal Abedin; Villanueva, Fredy Polo; and Giessen, Lukas (2025) "The Patchwork Quilt of Global Mangrove Conservation: Mapping the Landscape of International Treaties," Forest and Society: Vol. 9: Iss. 2, Article 5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24259/fs.v9i2.43276
Available at: https://scholarhub.unhas.ac.id/fs/vol9/iss2/5

Pages

487-521

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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©2025Forest and Society