Building on the 2023 Mangrove Law and Policy Brief, this companion publication brings together 16 national and regional case studies that highlight emerging legal frameworks, governance approaches, and policy innovations from around the world. Developed as part of the Policy Working Group’s annual program of work, the publication demonstrates how policy is evolving from ambition to implementation at a time when healthy mangroves are increasingly recognized as essential for climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable coastal development.

Why This Publication Matters

With countries updating their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), revising National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), and preparing for major international milestones including UNCBD COP17 and UNFCCC COP31, attention is shifting from setting ambitious targets to delivering meaningful action on the ground.

The publication explores how governments, researchers, civil society organizations, and coastal communities are working together to strengthen the legal and institutional foundations needed to protect one of the world’s most valuable coastal ecosystems.

Across every case study, several common themes emerge:

• Strong policies rely on collaboration across sectors and institutions.
• Science and monitoring are essential for informed decision-making.
• Community rights, local knowledge, and equitable governance are central to long-term success.
• Stable legal frameworks are critical to ensure conservation efforts continue beyond political and funding cycles.

Exploring Mangrove Policy in Practice

The publication is organized around five key policy themes that reflect the diverse ways countries are strengthening mangrove governance.

It explores restoration protocols and best practices, showcasing ecosystem-based restoration approaches from Indonesia, Mexico, Ecuador, and Kenya that emphasize natural regeneration, science-based monitoring, and landscape-scale planning.

The publication also highlights how countries are strengthening national climate commitments, with case studies from Cambodia, Costa Rica, Panama, Honduras, Jamaica, and Belize demonstrating how mangroves are being integrated into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and supported through community land tenure and climate policy.

A third section examines finance, incentives, and blue carbon, presenting emerging approaches in Asia to mobilizing investment through blue carbon initiatives and innovative financing mechanisms that support both conservation and community benefits.

Case studies on national biodiversity strategies and mangrove management plans illustrate how Colombia is embedding mangrove conservation into long-term biodiversity planning, while the final section explores how mangroves in the Bahamas, Brazil, and Indonesia are being integrated into broader planning and governance frameworks, including coastal management, spatial planning, and disaster risk reduction.

A Collective Effort

This publication reflects the collaborative work of the Global Mangrove Alliance Policy Working Group and its network of practitioners, researchers, and policy experts.

The publication also draws on the expertise of Policy Working Group members and partners from around the world, whose case studies, technical reviews, and feedback helped shape this collection. Their collective contributions demonstrate the value of international collaboration in advancing stronger mangrove policy.

Looking Ahead

As countries work towards delivering the ambitions of the Paris Agreement, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and the Ramsar Strategic Plan, these case studies provide practical examples that policymakers, practitioners, and partners can adapt to their own national contexts.

Together, they demonstrate that successful mangrove conservation depends not only on strong ecological science, but also on effective governance, inclusive decision-making, sustainable finance, and long-term political commitment.

The GMA Policy Working Group hopes this publication will serve as both a practical resource and a source of inspiration for those working to turn global commitments into lasting outcomes for mangroves and the communities that depend on them.

Read the publication here.