Invest in Yucatán’s Mangrove Restoration Boom

Yucatán is ideally positioned for what could be an excellent investment opportunity – the restoration of mangroves. According to Dr. Jorge Herrera Silveira, a researcher at the Center for Research and Advanced Studies (Cinvestav) of the National Polytechnic Institute in Mérida, the region's vast areas of degraded mangroves, approximately 30,000 hectares, present a unique chance to attract investments from the federal government and international bodies focused on combating climate change.

The federal government has recently declared a national policy for mangrove restoration. This is part of the National Environmental Restoration Program 2024-2030, which aims to restore 30% of the country's mangroves. The initiative seeks to halt further degradation and restore these areas to help capture greenhouse gases (GHG), thereby contributing to the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions, a commitment Mexico has made to international organizations such as the Paris agreement.

Yucatán's mangrove restoration could play a significant role in mitigating climate change. The region has already conducted studies on the amount of carbon captured by restored mangroves, a topic of interest to few global sites and unique to Mexico. This information is valuable to real estate and financial markets, and potential investors, as it allows them to make projections about potential returns or when to stop investing.

Mangrove restoration also brings direct social benefits. People involved in reforestation are paid, and it creates permanent jobs. Communities such as Dzinitun (in Celestún), El Corchito (Progreso), and the ejido San Crisanto (port of the Yucatecan municipality of Sinanché) already benefit from ecotourism in restored mangrove sites. This not only provides a direct income but also a sustainable livelihood for families in these areas.

San Crisanto landholders have already restored mangroves in the port of Sinanché and now offer tourist services in the ecosystem.

Mangrove restoration has numerous direct and indirect benefits in the short, medium, and long term. Scientists and economists agree that it is one of the best investments due to its cost-benefit ratio and the wide range of benefits it offers to communities, governments, and private companies.

Dr. Herrera points out that Yucatán has at least three additional advantages for attracting mangrove restoration investments. Firstly, the region already has the knowledge and experience in mangrove restoration. Despite limited or no support from the federal government in research, they have received assistance from other sources.