When Mangroves Do What Seawalls Cannot: Ecosystem-based Adaptation for India's Coastlines
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.
Biodiversity & Conservation
This sub-topic has appeared in 25 UPSC Prelims questions.
Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) is a high-frequency UPSC theme bridging Environment, Disaster Management, and Climate Policy.
●Mangroves are classified as both forests (under Forest Conservation Act) and coastal ecosystems (under CRZ Notification). Key facts: India's mangrove cover increased by 17 sq km in 2021 (FSI report); Sundarbans is the world's largest mangrove delta; mangroves can reduce wave height by 50–70% over 500 metres.
●The Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification 2019 provides some protection but also allows development near mangroves.
●Internationally, EbA is endorsed under the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030), CBD's Kunming-Montreal Framework (30×30 target), and UNFCCC's National Adaptation Plans.
●Coral bleaching events linked to marine heatwaves and the IUCN Red List status of seagrass species are also prelims-relevant data points.
Mangroves, seagrasses, and coral reefs together form an integrated natural coastal defence system that outperforms hard infrastructure in long-term cost-effectiveness and climate resilience.
◎ In Simple Words
Imagine the coastline as a house that needs protection from storms and floods. Instead of building expensive concrete walls, nature has already provided a free security system — mangroves are like thick, tangled hedges that slow down waves before they can damage homes and villages. Seagrasses are like underwater carpets that hold the sea floor together, and coral reefs are like underwater speed-breakers for big waves. India has a long coastline and many of these natural protectors, but we keep replacing them with concrete walls, which is like throwing away a free umbrella and buying an expensive one that breaks faster.
Factual Pointers
Practice · 1 question
With reference to Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) in coastal areas, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. Mangroves can reduce wave height by up to 70% over a distance of 500 metres.
2. The Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification 2019 classifies mangroves under CRZ-I as ecologically sensitive areas.
3. Seagrass meadows in India are found exclusively in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Select the correct answer using the codes below:
Topics