The Mangrove Breakthrough today announced a new group of Champions who will help accelerate the initiative’s goal of mobilizing USD 4 billion to protect and restore 15 million hectares of mangroves by 2030.

The Mangrove Breakthrough Champions represent a high-level group of leaders from the public and financial sectors committed to reimagining how the world values, protects, and restores mangrove ecosystems.

The inaugural group of Mangrove Breakthrough Champions includes:

🇺🇸 Monica Medina, Arnhold Distinguished Fellow at Conservation International
🇯🇲 Dale Webber, Special Envoy for Climate Change, Environment, Ocean, and Blue Economy, Jamaica
🇪🇨 Gustavo Manrique Miranda, Former Minister of Environment, Water and Ecological Transition of Ecuador
🇨🇷 Cynthia Barzuna, Ocean Action 2030 Coalition Director, World Resources Institute
🇨🇴 Erick Richard Castro Gonzalez, Principal Executive, Technical Advisor in Biodiversity and Climate (Blue Economy), CAF

“We are bringing this group of seasoned leaders on board to help position mangroves as a global strategic priority,” said Carlos Eduardo Correa Escaf, Global Ambassador for the Mangrove Breakthrough and Colombia’s former Minister of Environment. “With their leadership and voices, we are confident we can accelerate progress, turning ambition into action as we advance toward our USD 4 billion target.”

Their voices help demonstrate that mangroves are critical natural infrastructure, a powerful climate risk management tool, a driver of economic stability, essential to food security, and a foundation for smart public policy. The Champions join the Mangrove Breakthrough at a pivotal moment, as the initiative approaches the halfway point between its launch in November 2022 and its 2030 targets.

“Coming from a country like Jamaica, we understand that mangroves serve as the first line of defense for many of our coastal communities,” said Dale Webber. “We are committed to the Mangrove Breakthrough’s vision of positioning mangroves as a strategic natural asset class and to aligning our political commitments with that vision.”

With the backing of 49 governments, dozens of financial institutions, and more than 100 NGOs, the Breakthrough is moving rapidly into its implementation phase. The initiative is advancing the development of the Mangrove Catalytic Facility—its engine for investment readiness—while building a structured pipeline of investable opportunities.

“As Mangrove Champions, we will advocate for billions of dollars in investment for mangroves from governments and financial institutions. We also intend to build a bigger movement and a stronger global coalition of mangrove champions,” said Monica Medina. “The Mangrove Breakthrough is working to radically change the perception of mangroves from being viewed simply as ecologically beneficial—which, of course, they are—to being recognized as a cost-effective solution for coastal resilience and a crucial asset for coastal economies.”

“As someone who has worked closely with coastal communities, I often ask myself: how many disasters could have had a different outcome if the mangroves that once protected our coastlines were still there today? How many families, homes, and livelihoods could have been spared?” said Cynthia Barzuna. “It is a powerful question because we now know that mangroves are among nature’s most effective defenses against climate impacts. Yet many of the communities living alongside these extraordinary ecosystems remain among the most vulnerable and economically marginalized. Mangroves are the cradle of ocean life—the nursery that sustains fisheries, food security, and coastal economies. Protecting and restoring them is one of the smartest and most powerful investments we can make in resilience, prosperity, and the future of our ocean.”

About the Mangrove Breakthrough

The Mangrove Breakthrough is pioneering how we, as a global network, protect nature to build resilient communities. It is a global movement to value, finance, and safeguard mangroves. The ambition is to mobilize USD 4 billion to protect and restore 15 million hectares of mangroves by 2030, fostering radical collaboration, advancing science-based financial and regulatory decisions, and investing in local leadership.

The Breakthrough’s Secretariat (“the Hub”) drives this mission by sustaining multistakeholder partnerships and building the infrastructure for lasting impact. The Hub is legally hosted at the Chilean NGO Ambition Loop.