Enhanced carbon sequestration

In order to prevent the damage to mangrove forests that occurred over the last few decades or more, a project was started in the Penang region aiming to raise public awareness regarding the importance of mangroves for their continued conservation and protection through active community participation (community resilience) (1). The project closely relates to the GEF Focal Area on Biodiversity Conservation operational programme (OP) 2 on Coastal, Marine and Fresh Water Ecosystems and is led by the Penang Inshore Fisherman Welfare Association (PIFWA). The project aimed to regenerate mangrove forests by planting up to 11,000 saplings in order to rehabilitate the once degraded mangroves as they are able to ultimately improve the wetland ecosystem and its biodiversity and thus sustain the livelihood of fisher communities (1).
Mangrove forests are an important part of the Malaysian coastline. Besides their contributions to the biodiversity of the Malaysian coast, mangroves also help greatly with protecting the coastal strip from erosion and providing a means of living for the communities located close to the forests. Stabilising the shoreline and reducing soil erosion, mangroves are also home to myriad species of plants and animals, they provide timber and non-timber forest products, and they support fisheries (1,2). Due to their importance, their disappearance is greatly noticed. From 2000, within a period of 15 years, 25,500 hectares of mangrove forests disappeared, mostly due to industrial-scale logging, clearance for shrimp farming, tourism or firewood (5).

Wajre Urban Forest is Maharashtra state's first urban forestry project developed on the outskirts of Pune city (1, 2). This project was done in a collaboration involving the public, corporate, NGOs and governmental actors (3). A barren land of 16 hectares, also used as a dump yard by the nearby residents, belonging to the Maharashtra Forest Department, was taken by the TERRE Policy Centre in association with support from TATA Motors and Persistent Foundations as CSR Partners (1,3). The project was targeted to reduce air pollution and provide a site for the recreation and relaxation of urban residents of the city (4).
A total of 9500 plants belonging to 23 indigenous plant species of 6-8 ft were planted (1,2). The plants have now transformed into trees 9-10 feet in height (1, 5). The park also provides the opportunity to engage citizens by the provision of adopting specific plants in your name (5). The park is frequented by morning and evening walkers, with approx. 1000-1500 people per day (1,3).

This project is Kerala's first Miyawaki model urban forest developed on the premises of Kanakakkunnu Palace of Trivandrum city (1, 2). The project was initiated by the Kerala Tourism department and implemented with the help of Nature’s Green Guardian Foundation and Invis Multimedia (which also sponsored the initiative) (3). A multi-layered forest creation is targeted through the Miyawaki method, a method developed by Dr Akira Miyawaki, a Japanese botanist. The method involves growing native plant species in close proximity to each other (3). Such urban forests are planted with the objective of creating a self-sustaining ecosystem that helps in a greater quantity of carbon dioxide absorption and purification of air (1). The project provides a wilderness experience to urban dwellers who frequent this tourism hot spot for relaxation and recreation (1, 3). After the success of this first forest project in Trivandrum, Kerala, in 2020 the Kerala Tourism launched a project to create more Miyawaki micro forests at 22 tourism spots in 12 districts across the state (Ref. 5).

As part of the Green Pakistan Programme (GPP), the Ministry of Environment of Pakistan initiated a plantation drive on the Margalla Hills, threatened by climate change, droughts, floods and deforestation. Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) is a national park of Pakistan located in the capital city, Islamabad. It was established in the 1980s with a total area of about 173 square kilometres constituting Margalla Hills, Shakarparian Park, Rawal Lake and the Cultural Complex (2,5). The primary purpose of GPP was to protect the environment and revive forests, as Pakistan is a forest-deficient country having 5.01 per cent of its total area under forest cover. The park is under the supervision of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) which ensures the management, maintenance and preservation of wildlife and other species in the park vicinity. The campaign was set to take place over 5 years between 2017-2022. Furthermore, as part of the same program, an awareness campaign was started to generate knowledge about plants and make Islamabad green and beautiful. Thousands of people visit the national park daily to enjoy the natural environment and healthy recreational facilities and relax by looking at the serene landscape and natural viewpoints of the city visible from the different trails of the park. (1,2,3,4,5)

Penang is a state located in north-western Peninsular Malaysia with an area of 1,049 km2. It comprises two local authorities, Penang Island and the mainland. The former is further divided into five administrative districts which are further divided into mukims (sub-districts). Two urban mukims located on the island – George Town and Bayan Lepas – are the focus of the proposed nature-based solutions (NBS) climate adaptation programme. The programme was launched in 2022 by UN-Habitat in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Water (KASA) of Malaysia, Penang Island City Council (Majlis Bandaraya Pulau Pinang - MBPP), Department of Irrigation and Drainage (Jabatan Pengairan Dan Saliran - JPS) and Think City (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Khazanah Nasional Berhad (the sovereign wealth fund of the Government of Malaysia)). (Ref 1)

The implementation of the project responds to several challenges posed by climate change including heatwaves and flooding (Ref 4). The main goal of the programme is to enhance urban resilience and reduce human and ecosystem health vulnerability to climate change impacts and extreme weather events by implementing nature-based solutions (NBS) such as tree-lined streets, pocket parks, green parking spaces, green facades and rooftops, urban agriculture and blue-green corridors to reduce surface temperatures and stormwater runoff, as well as to increase social resilience and build institutional capacity (Ref 1, 3).

Pirojshanagar Township is an industrial and residential establishment of the company Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co Ltd (G&B), located in the Vikhroli suburb of Mumbai city along Thane creek, with diverse natural and human-made habitats (1,2). Of the 16 km2 area of the Township, approximately 12 km2 is occupied by the mangrove ecosystem and its associated habitats (1,2). Upon recognizing the importance of this ecosystem, G&B decided to prioritize the conservation of the mangroves that grew along the banks of the newly acquired land (along the Thane Creek west bank) (1,2). Pirojshanagar, with its biodiverse mangrove forest, is sandwiched between two solid waste dumping grounds of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which only increases its importance in the landscape and makes it a green oasis that acts as a carbon sink (1). It was a research-based project and the first successful mangrove conservation project in Mumbai, now serving as the Mumbai Metropolitan's green lung (1,2).

Bangladesh Forest Department (BFD), as a part of its annual development programme, has been leading the coastal afforestation programme to stabilize Bangladesh’s coastline and create green belt. In order to establish mangrove forests in coastal areas, specifically chars in the southern coastal zone, the Forest Department undertook an afforestation project in the new deltas developed in the Bay. Afforestation is being used in vulnerable coastal areas, where the initiative brought mangrove species to the region in order to act as shelters for the exposed coastal communities subject to powerful cyclones, tidal surges, coastal erosion, and other disasters. In terms of the severity of the effects of climate change, Bangladesh is at the forefront, especially for coastal populations, as their livelihoods are wrecked by storms. Nature-based Solutions (NBS) are emerging as significant instruments for coping with climate change, while traditional methods of prevention, such as hard flood defence, have proven to be impractical and unsustainable. Additionally, the project includes greening of the whole coastal regions including creation of strip gardens and home gardens to improve the biodiversity of the area and to stabilize the newly found land. Furthermore, the coastal afforestation project will also help to develop newly accreted land of an island (char) in the Bay of Bengal, which is being included with Bangladesh's mainland from 2021. [Ref 1,3,4,6]

Iloilo River Esplanade is a promenade and linear park along the Iloilo River, created as part of the Iloilo River Rehabilitation Project. It is the largest linear park in the Philippines and was designed by the landscape architect Paulo Alcazaren. The esplanade is one of a kind in the country that aims to foster biodiversity, store carbon by mangroves and provide protection from possible flood damages. Furthermore, the project aspires to build a lifestyle hub for the locals and promotes educational eco-tourism. The site was an existing dike road devoid of shade and originally built just as a flood control measure. The redesign has showcased its effect on public amenities, received several recognitions and has become a magnet for tourists in this city. [1, 3, 6, 7]

The Central Forest Corridor surrounds the capital of Honduras, Tegucigalpa, and provides various ecosystem services to the population, with a particular emphasis on providing water for communities within both the corridor and Tegucigalpa (Ref. 3). However, limited access to water is common across Honduras, attributed to the degradation of watersheds as a result of deforestation and pollution of both ground and surface water (Ref. 1). Climate scenarios further "indicate that existing water scarcity will be exacerbated by climate change and increasing variability"... with "the main urban areas (Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula) and several agricultural areas (Patuca basin)...fac[ing] increased water scarcity in the near future" (Ref. 1).

In April 2021, the Kochi City Corporation in collaboration with the World Resources Institute (WRI) and ICLEI South Asia inaugurated the Subhash Bose Park after a thorough renovation. The project was part of the overarching project "INTERACT-Bio" by ICLEI South Asia and the KAWAKI initiative by the WRI (part of the Cities4Forests movement in Kochi). The initiative was launched to demonstrate the application of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) for climate mitigation in Kochi. The project aims to develop urban grooves similar to the traditional grooves that once existed in Kerala. Additionally, with this project, ICLEI South Asia aimed to address the problems of climate change through mainstreaming biodiversity objectives across the city. The park plays as a major carbon sink at the heart of the city that is home to over 300 species of native trees and many more species of native plants. Furthermore, the Kochi City Corporation is focused on increasing native biodiversity and communicating the importance of this biodiversity to residents in order to ensure long term conservation efforts. This was a key motivator for the city in the conceptualization of the garden which not only improves the native biodiversity of the city but also serves as a demonstration site for nature education. The park also includes a newly built pollinator garden that has augmented the pollinator base in the city. [1, 4, 7, 10]