Mozambique lost approximately 5,000 hectares of mangrove forest in 2024, one of the highest levels recorded in recent years, primarily due to the impact of climate events. According to data from ten years of deforestation monitoring in the country, the degradation of these ecosystems continues to require more effective protection and management measures.
“The highest peak in mangrove loss was first recorded in 2019 and the most recent in 2024, a trend linked to the increased frequency and intensity of climate-related phenomena,” said Hercílio Odorico, a member of the Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification Unit, during the presentation of the study.
Speaking in Maputo during the Technical Conference on Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) and the Implementation of the National System for Managing Data on Mangroves and Seagrasses, the expert stated that the provinces of Niassa, in northern Mozambique, and Zambézia and Manica, in central Mozambique, have contributed the most to the loss of forest cover in recent years, reflecting growing pressure on natural resources and the need for targeted efforts in the most affected areas.
The expert said that the Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification Unit uses satellite imagery and internationally validated methodologies to track deforestation trends, and currently has historical data that makes it possible to identify where, when, and why vegetation loss occurs in Mozambique.
For his part, Aristides Muhate, coordinator of the Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification Unit, argued that the production of scientific data is essential to support public policies, guide investments, and strengthen the country’s capacity to respond to the challenges of climate change.
He emphasized that Mozambique has approximately 2,700 kilometers of coastline, the protection of which must be balanced with the country’s economic development goals, advocating for sustainable management of natural resources based on credible and up-to-date information.
Muhate warned that climate events are becoming increasingly intense and frequent, heightening the impacts on communities and the costs associated with responding to floods and other natural disasters.
“It is important and essential that we invest in these technologies, because they will help us solve problems, decide where to restore ecosystems, conserve key areas for biodiversity, and promote economic activities with a lower environmental impact,” he concluded.
