Examining the protective services of mangroves at a regional scale in Indonesia

Abstract: The purpose of this thesis is to examine how the exposure of the coastal population of Kalimantan, Indonesia changed as a result of coastal mangrove loss and population growth. The change of exposure has therefore been calculated through the loss of mangrove biomass, through deforestation and degradation, over time, as well the increase in population living within 10km2 of disturbed mangroves. The results revealed that undisturbed mangroves have been decreasing since 1990 and that deforested and degraded mangroves have followed similar trends. Furthermore, over 20% of the total population of Kalimantan live with 10km of degraded and deforested mangroves. Given that the study covers an extensive area, three hotspots have been identified, where there has been substantial population growth in areas surrounding mangrove forests. A closer look at the governance of mangroves in Indonesia reveals that whilst there are many administrative structures responsible for the management and maintenance of mangroves, there is little cross-collaboration between actors. Furthermore, there is little use of NBS, specifically mangroves within the context of disaster risk reduction. The inclusion of mangroves in Indonesia’s Nationally Determined Contributions as well as the recent implementation of a policy to replant mangroves, shows promise that mangroves will be utilised for their protective services and ability to increase local resilience.