Maputo, June 17, 2026 (Lusa) - Mozambique lost around 5,000 hectares of mangrove forest in 2024, one of the highest figures recorded in recent years, mainly due to the impact of climate events, experts said on Wednesday during a conference on environmental monitoring in Maputo.
The data was presented at the Technical Conference on Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) and the Implementation of the National System for the Management of Data on Mangroves and Seagrasses, which is taking place in Maputo until Friday, bringing together national experts and cooperation partners.
“The highest peak in mangrove loss was first recorded in 2019 and the most recent in 2024,” said Hercílio Odorico, a member of the Monitoring, Reporting and Verification Unit, during the presentation of data on ten years of deforestation monitoring in Mozambique, adding that the degradation of these ecosystems continues to require more effective protection and management measures.
According to the forestry engineer, the analysis of mangrove ecosystems identified, in 2024, one of the highest levels of loss observed in recent years, a trend linked to the increased frequency and intensity of climate events.
The data also indicate that the provinces of Niassa, in northern Mozambique, and Zambézia and Manica, in the centre of the country, have contributed most to the loss of forest cover over the last ten years, reflecting growing pressure on natural resources and the need for targeted interventions in the most affected areas.
According to the expert, monitoring has also made it possible to identify a gradual expansion of deforested areas towards the north of the country, as well as to pinpoint the regions with the highest incidence of forest loss, providing detailed information to support decision-making by local and national authorities.
The Monitoring, Reporting and Verification Unit uses satellite imagery and internationally validated methodologies to track trends in deforestation, and currently has historical data that enables it to identify where, when and why the loss of vegetation cover is occurring.
The leader of the Monitoring, Reporting and Verification Unit, Aristides Muhate, argued that the production of scientific data is essential to support public policy, guide investment and strengthen the country’s capacity to respond to the challenges of climate change.
“We want to provide solutions to address the challenge of climate vulnerability (...), the data should help decision-makers to know where to invest, where investments are least at risk of being affected by climate-related events, and where they will have the least impact on natural ecosystems,” Muhate told Lusa.
He emphasised that Mozambique has around 2,700 kilometres of coastline, the protection of which must be balanced with the country’s economic development objectives, advocating for the 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 extreme rainfall.
“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 said.
During the conference, experts called for greater use of Earth observation technologies, artificial intelligence and the integration of different databases to improve environmental monitoring and support strategies for conservation, climate adaptation and sustainable development.
EYMZ/AYLS // AYLS
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