Can Gio mangrove forest holds great potential for carbon credits

For many years, the former Can Gio district has been known for its mangrove forest ecosystem, including a core zone, a buffer zone, and a transition zone. Thanks to this unique ecosystem, the entire former Can Gio district became the first area in Viet Nam to be recognized by UNESCO as a World Biosphere Reserve on January 21, 2000, under its full official name of the Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve.

With its dense, multi-layered forest structure and high adaptability to hydrological conditions, the Can Gio mangrove forest not only plays a role in preventing waves and protecting the coastline but also acts as an important “green lung” for the Southern urbanized region. Beyond that, the Can Gio mangrove forest holds exceptionally large potential for carbon credits.

Dr. Le Thanh Quang, Deputy Head of the Department of Ecology and Environment at the Forest Science Institute of South Vietnam, said that mangrove forest ecosystems have a very high capacity for carbon sequestration, exceeding that of other forest types by 4-10 times.

In recent years, many scientists worldwide have conducted research and published findings in reputable international journals on carbon stocks in mangrove forests. According to these studies, mangrove forest trees account for only about 1% of global carbon stocks. However, the amount of carbon stored in the coastal ecosystems of mangrove forests accounts for 14% of the total carbon absorbed worldwide.

For the Can Gio mangrove forest, out of a total natural area of more than 35,000 hectares, nearly 33,000 hectares are forested. With the carbon storage capacity of mangrove forests in general and the vast area of the Can Gio mangrove forest in particular, this mangrove forest can be considered an extremely large and promising carbon sink, enabling Ho Chi Minh City to develop and trade carbon credits in the future. According to estimates by some scientists, the Can Gio mangrove forest could generate 1-5 million carbon credits each year.

Not only the Can Gio mangrove forest itself, but also other areas within the Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve hold significant potential for carbon credits.

The Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve has a total area of more than 70,000 hectares, encompassing the entire natural area of the former Can Gio district. Following the establishment of the two-tier government, the Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve now comprises four communes: An Thoi Dong, Can Gio, Binh Khanh, and Thanh An.

Mr. Bui Nguyen The Kiet, Head of the Division of Resource Development and Cooperation under the Ho Chi Minh City Protection and Special-Use Forests Management Board, said that in the former Can Gio district, in addition to areas planned as protection forests, mangrove forest ecosystems are also developing along rivers and canals within the communes. The total area of mangrove ecosystems growing along rivers and canals across these communes is considerable and performs functions similar to those of mangrove forests included in the city's official forest planning.

Mangrove forests growing along rivers and canals are also contributing to enhancing the carbon absorption capacity of mangrove ecosystems throughout the entire Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve.