Madagascar has launched a $7.1 million Global Environment Facility–funded initiative, co‑financed with $27 million, to strengthen climate resilience by restoring 3,000 ha of mangroves and coastal forests and rehabilitating 2,000 ha of degraded watersheds across four vulnerable regions—Boeny, Menabe, Diana, and Atsimo Atsinanana. Implemented by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development with technical support from UNEP, the project will assist around 100,000 coastal residents by integrating ecosystem‑based adaptation into regional planning, bolstering local governance, and enabling the establishment of 20 green businesses in areas like sustainable fisheries, aquaculture, beekeeping, ecotourism, and rainfed agriculture—emphasizing the empowerment of women and youth. Launching on 15 July in Antananarivo, the initiative underscores how ecosystem restoration delivers simultaneous benefits for climate adaptation, mitigation, food security, and biodiversity conservation.

Source: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)