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5 Jun 2026Environment & Ecology3 questions

When Mangroves Do What Seawalls Cannot: Ecosystem-based Adaptation for India's Coastlines

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Article summary

India's coastal management continues to rely heavily on hard engineering solutions such as seawalls and embankments, even as Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) through mangroves, seagrasses, and coral reefs has demonstrated superior and cost-effective climate risk reduction. Mangroves act as natural buffers, dissipating wave energy, reducing storm surge impacts, and sequestering carbon at rates far exceeding terrestrial forests. India holds approximately 4,992 sq km of mangrove cover — about 3% of the world's total — concentrated in the Sundarbans, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and the Gulf of Kutch, yet these ecosystems face mounting pressure from coastal development, aquaculture, and pollution. Seagrasses and coral reefs complement mangroves by stabilising sediments, supporting fisheries, and protecting shorelines from erosion, forming an integrated coastal defence system. For UPSC, this topic intersects climate adaptation policy, biodiversity conservation, disaster risk reduction under the Sendai Framework, and India's commitments under the Paris Agreement and Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

What this tests

recallTests whether you read the article and retained key facts.
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applicationTests whether you can apply the concept to a new scenario.
1Q
analysisTests whether you can reason across multiple related facts.
1Q

Sample questions — answers revealed after test

Environment & EcologyRecallEasy

Q1. With reference to the carbon sequestration capacity of mangrove ecosystems, which of the following statements is correct?

AMangroves store 3–5 times more carbon per hectare than terrestrial forests, making them among the most carbon-dense ecosystems on Earth.
BMangroves store approximately the same amount of carbon per hectare as tropical rainforests, but sequester it at a faster annual rate.
CMangroves store 1.5–2 times more carbon per hectare than terrestrial forests, primarily in above-ground biomass rather than sediment.
DMangroves are classified as blue carbon sinks but store less carbon per hectare than temperate forests due to their waterlogged root systems.
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Environment & EcologyApplicationMedium

Q2. A coastal state government is evaluating two options for protecting a fishing village from storm surges: (i) constructing a concrete seawall, or (ii) restoring a 500-metre mangrove belt. An advisor argues that Option (ii) is superior on both economic and ecological grounds. Which of the following pairs of facts would MOST directly support the advisor's argument?

AMangrove restoration costs $1,000–$5,000 per hectare versus $10,000–$50,000 per kilometre for seawalls; and mangroves can reduce wave height by 50–70% over 500 metres.
BIndia's mangrove cover increased by 17 sq km in 2021 as per FSI; and the Sundarbans is the world's largest mangrove delta, proving mangroves can survive cyclone-prone environments.
CSeawalls accelerate erosion at adjacent unprotected stretches; and the CRZ Notification 2019 classifies mangroves under the highest protection category, making restoration legally straightforward.
DMangroves store 3–5× more carbon per hectare than terrestrial forests; and the Sendai Framework (2015–2030) endorses Ecosystem-based Adaptation as a disaster risk reduction strategy.
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Environment & EcologyAnalysisHard

Q3. Consider the following statements regarding India's policy and governance framework for coastal ecosystem protection: 1. The CRZ Notification 2019 strengthened restrictions on development activities in the vicinity of mangrove ecosystems compared to its predecessor notification. 2. The Green India Mission under the National Action Plan on Climate Change explicitly prioritises mangrove and coastal ecosystem restoration alongside terrestrial forest cover enhancement. 3. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030) endorses Ecosystem-based Adaptation as a tool for reducing disaster risk in coastal zones. 4. Under the Forest Rights Act 2006, coastal fishing communities can claim rights over mangrove forests classified as community forest resources. Which of the statements given above are correct?

A1 and 2 only
B3 and 4 only
C2 and 3 only
D1, 3 and 4 only
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