Mangrove Milestone: 10 Million Trees Planted in Mozambique’s Coastal Revival

Mozambique’s coastal wetlands just saw a major boost. A large-scale restoration project has planted 10 million mangrove trees across 1,300 hectares, signalling progress in one of the largest tidal ecosystem initiatives underway today.

Wide aerial shot of vibrant mangroves in Mozambique, thriving in restored coastal wetlands at sunrise. AI generated picture.

The update was shared during the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, drawing attention to the restoration of Mozambique’s Zambezi River Delta. The long-term vision is ambitious: restore 30,000 hectares of wetland by the end of the decade. If successful, the project could capture over 15 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent across its 60-year timeline.

Behind this effort is a complex web of groundwork. It took over three years of collaboration with more than 300 local communities and 20 project partners to secure land tenure, establish local associations, and finalise 60-year land agreements. ‘The project has created 1,300 local jobs to date and supports sustainable livelihoods through innovative programmes such as aquaculture, salt production, and access to clean water,’ said the project developers.

The financing and credit management side is handled by Summit Removall, a joint venture launched in April between France’s Removall and Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation. This joint venture is not only funding the current implementation phase but is also managing the carbon credits generated through the effort.

According to Summit Removall, the first phase will restore 5,116 hectares and sequester close to 2.5 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent. The initiative is being developed under Verra’s VM0033 methodology for tidal wetlands and seagrasses, and aligns with the Climate, Community & Biodiversity (CCB) standard.

Currently, it stands as the world’s second-largest blue carbon project, following Pakistan’s Delta Blue Carbon. With its emphasis on local impact, long-term planning, and scientifically backed carbon accounting, the project is drawing attention to Mozambique’s role in shaping the future of the blue carbon market.