Mangrove Forests Fight Climate Change—But Climate Change Is Fighting Back
Key takeaways
- But a new modeling study suggests that even these hardy trees may reach their breaking point in the face of rapidly rising seas, with major consequences for the climate.
- Mangroves punch well above their weight when it comes to carbon-storing ability.
- Past research has shown that some sea level rise may actually increase carbon storage and mangrove growth in some parts of the ecosystem.
Why this matters: environmental and climate reporting with long-term consequences.
June 5, 2026 Share This Article Republish. A shrinking mangrove forest is seen at the edge of the Freetown Peninsula coastline in Sierra Leone on April 12. Credit: Gemma Bonfiglioli/AFP via Getty Images Related How Good are Re-Planted Mangroves at Storing Carbon? A New Study Puts a Number on It Coastal Communities’ Living Barriers—Mangroves and Coral Reefs—Could Soon Collapse Due to Climate Change Aruba Embraces the Rights of Nature and a Human Right to a Clean Environment Share This Article Republish Most Popular An Iowa Town Spent $800,000 on a New Well. It Pumps Undrinkable Water. Colorado River Faces ‘Devastating Consequences’ If Another Dry Winter Lands, Experts Warn DOE Restarts Home Efficiency Rebates, and Electrification Is the Biggest Loser Mangrove forests have adapted over tens of millions of years to survive in harsh flooding from salty seas, while locking away vast stores of climate-warming carbon and protecting the world’s coastlines from storm surge.
But a new modeling study suggests that even these hardy trees may reach their breaking point in the face of rapidly rising seas, with major consequences for the climate.
Mangroves punch well above their weight when it comes to carbon-storing ability. Though they cover less than 1 percent of the Earth’s surface, these coastal forests stash roughly 15 percent of all ocean carbon, mostly in the soil. Mangroves’ dense jumbles of roots trap sediment and help the trees handle inundation amid the daily rise and fall of the tides.