Integrating a conceptual framework for the sustainable development goals in the mangrove ecosystem: A systematic review

Mangrove forests are highly productive wetlands and provide essential ecosystem services for the well-being of human communities, with the Ramsar Convention being the main international agreement for planning conservation strategies for these areas of great international relevance. The present study carried out a systematic review to envision a conceptual framework on the alignment of these strategies with sustainable development (SD) and its objectives (SDGs), based on the identification of ecosystem services and their possible threats related to mangrove forest in the Ramsar classification. The study was carried out using the PSALSAR (Protocol-SearchAppraisal-Synthesis-Analysis-Report) framework and an open-access database, where the search for studies was not restricted to Ramsar Sites only. Since 1991, interest in questions about sustainable development in mangrove areas has increased, almost a decade after the first article was registered in search databases and repositories on this topic. The main SDGs addressed are related to SDG 13 (Action on Global Climate Change; 30%) and SDG 14 (Life in Water; 3%), while the goals with low performance in countries that have mangrove forests are: SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 8 (Decent Work), SDG 13 (Climate Change), SDG 14 (Life in Water), and SDG 15 (Life on Land). However, it is still necessary to fill gaps in knowledge about the role of mangroves in the SDGs through the systematization of methods and the use of indicators that capture the socio-ecological dimensions, in order to assist in the evaluation of the SD. This requires a conceptual framework with five key elements, knowing the plan of the 2030 Agenda, SDG implementation based on ecosystem services and threats, collection and monitoring of data of the SDGs, promoting transparent and decentralized governance, and effectiveness SDGs in all countries based on the science-policy interface, which address the SDGs in this ecosystem to comply with the Ramsar Sites Strategic Plan and the 2030 Agenda, both based on the ecosystem services offered by mangroves, in order to address the identified threats and create a set of indicators for the purpose of monitoring the SDGs in relation to this ecosystem.