Pradip Kumar Sarker, Md Faisal Abedin Khan, Fredy Polo Villanueva, Lukas Giessen

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

Introduction

The patchwork quilt of global mangrove conservation: mapping the landscape of international treaties . Explore global mangrove conservation efforts, mapping international treaties & governance. Discover the Ramsar Convention's role and synergies between environmental regimes.

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.

Review

This study offers a timely and crucial contribution to the understanding of global environmental governance, specifically in the vital domain of mangrove conservation. By systematically mapping the intricate "patchwork quilt" of international treaties, the authors address a significant gap in the literature concerning the fragmented yet interconnected landscape of conservation efforts. The focus on identifying authoritative regimes and analysing inter-regime relationships provides invaluable insights into the complexities and potential efficiencies within the global framework designed to protect these unique and essential ecosystems. The research underscores the critical importance of understanding governance mechanisms for sustainable resource management, a theme of immense societal relevance. The methodology employed, utilising online scoping reviews and content analysis, appears robust for systematically identifying and characterising the relevant treaty-based regimes. A key strength lies in the definitive identification of the Ramsar Convention as the central legal authority for the global mangrove regime, providing a clear anchor point within this complex network. Furthermore, the analysis detailing the fragmentation scale, including synergies, conflicts, and neutral relationships among the global environmental treaties, is highly commendable. The finding of positive interactions and cooperative mechanisms with 17 other environmental regimes highlights the potential for integrated governance approaches and provides a foundation for more effective collaborative conservation strategies. While the study expertly maps the current landscape, the suggestions for future research also subtly highlight avenues for deeper exploration building upon this foundational work. Investigating how regime secretariats customise policies and synergise fragmented regimes, particularly through robust inter-regime communication and joint initiatives, is a vital next step. Additionally, the proposed focus on China’s management of the International Mangrove Centre presents a compelling case study for translating global governance principles into national-level action and showcasing practical approaches to sustainable conservation. Overall, this paper provides an excellent and much-needed comprehensive overview, setting a strong precedent for further research in this critical area.

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