Honduras has strengthened its climate ambitions by recognizing the conservation value of coastal wetlands such as mangrove forests and seagrass meadows in its latest nationally determined contribution (NDC). These ecosystems play a critical role in storing carbon, protecting coastlines, and supporting both biodiversity and coastal communities.
With more than 600 miles of shoreline along the Caribbean and Pacific coasts and over one million hectares of coastal and island areas, Honduras is home to extensive mangrove forests and seagrass habitats. These coastal wetlands are considered important nature-based solutions for climate resilience because they absorb and store large amounts of carbon while also helping protect shorelines from storms and erosion.
Through its updated climate plan, known as NDC 3.0, the Honduran government has introduced specific and measurable targets aimed at protecting and restoring these ecosystems. Nationally determined contributions are central to the Paris Agreement framework and are updated every five years to increase ambition in addressing climate change. Although Honduras has submitted climate policies under the agreement since 2016, this is the first time the country has included clear targets focused specifically on mangroves and seagrass ecosystems.
The commitments set out a roadmap for the coming decade to improve the sustainable management of marine and coastal ecosystems. By 2035, the country plans to expand the national marine and coastal area under official conservation schemes by five percent in order to strengthen ecosystem and community resilience. The government also intends to establish a national baseline of seagrass coverage to identify vulnerable areas and potential risk zones, restore at least ten percent of mangrove forests, and support actions that maintain or improve ecological integrity in at least 65 percent of conservation areas that include wetlands.
Mangroves and seagrasses, along with salt marshes, are among the few marine ecosystems recognized by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for their measurable contributions to reducing national emissions. Often referred to as “blue carbon” ecosystems, they can capture carbon at rates three to five times higher than many terrestrial forests and store it in underwater soils for long periods. Beyond carbon storage, these ecosystems provide habitats for fisheries, support local economies, and help coastal communities adapt to climate change impacts.
Many coastal and island communities in Honduras rely heavily on fishing, tourism, and maritime transport for their livelihoods. As a result, science-based conservation goals within the country’s NDC are expected to support local adaptation efforts and strengthen resilience against climate-related risks.
According to Alejandra Ramírez, the NDC process provided an opportunity to highlight the importance of mangroves and seagrasses and to improve protection for ecosystems that are essential to coastal economies. The updated climate commitments aim to better measure and safeguard these natural systems while strengthening national responses to climate challenges.
The development of these commitments was supported by collaboration between scientific and policy partners, including Centro de Estudios Marinos, the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, and The Pew Charitable Trusts. Their work helped connect scientific research with policy planning and contributed to the reestablishment of governance bodies such as Honduras’ National Biological Monitoring Board and the National Wetlands Technical Committee, improving coordination among institutions involved in conservation efforts.
By integrating coastal wetlands into national climate policy for the first time, Honduras has set a new direction for its climate strategy, demonstrating how science-based collaboration and long-term engagement can strengthen environmental protection while supporting communities that depend on coastal ecosystems.
