Avenue #3 Project development This is when corporations become directly involved in developing mangrove-positive business models, pursuing mangrove conservation and restoration projects, or integrating the above into existing operations through “carbon insetting”. Corporations can participate directly in mangrove- positive project development through their in-house project development capacities. This avenue supports the supply of high-quality projects, allows companies to work in their priority geographies and de-risks their future mangrove-positive investment. Direct project development also provides opportunities to converge people, nature and climate goals and include other targets that align with a company’s internal objectives. However, this avenue requires in-house mangrove and community development expertise, or partnering with expert project-level organizations.88 This approach can help overcome common project development barriers. For example, to address the lack of funding for pre-feasibility project work, corporations can establish deposit accounts, which the project developer can utilize at pre-defined stages to move the project to the next milestone. Companies can also provide concessionary capital to pay for certification costs. Corporations can reduce emissions in their own supply chains by carbon insetting – defined by the International Platform for Insetting as “interventions along a company’s value chain that are designed to generate GHG emissions reductions and carbon storage, and at the same time create positive impacts for communities, landscapes and ecosystems.”89Developed with partners along their value chain and tailored for the operations and impacts of the company, insetting enables corporations to: –Work towards climate targets. –Secure long-term sourcing by providing adaptation services. –Increase supplier resilience. –Deliver products to consumers that support holistic people, nature and climate benefits.90 Coastal and marine ecosystems are significantly and increasingly impacted by infrastructure investments, given that many coastal areas of the world lack adequate infrastructure for basic community needs.91 By integrating mangrove- positive business models with green-grey coastal construction approaches,92 corporations can enhance the effectiveness of infrastructure through cost savings, improved resilience and other ecosystem services that support value-chain operations, while supporting mangrove habitats.93 Meanwhile, nature-based solutions can protect, manage and restore natural or modified ecosystems, address societal challenges and provide human well-being and biodiversity benefits.94 Embedding these solutions within infrastructure has the potential to make that infrastructure more resilient to climate change effects and add longer-term value to infrastructure assets.95 Embedding mangrove-based solutions within infrastructure has the potential to make that infrastructure more resilient to climate change effects and add longer-term value to infrastructure assets. Examples of relevant business models Wild-caught fisheries Shrimp aquaculture Ecotourism Salt production Timber harvestingSaltwater agriculture Rice cultivation Onshore renewable energy generation Public infrastructure resilience Investing in Mangroves: The Corporate Playbook 25

Investing in Mangroves 2025