Incentivising Businesses to Adopt Action for the Protection of Coastal Nature and Biodiversity in Malaysia, 2021-2022

Nexus Action for Mangroves in Selangor, Malaysia: Protection Through Value Creation for Community-Public-Private Partnerships (NexAMS) is an 18-month project aimed at advancing policy and business initiatives for improved, inclusive mangrove protection through sustainable use, and building public-private-community partnerships, focusing on the state of Selangor. When it comes to natural climate solutions, the private sector is uniquely positioned as both a catalyst and accelerator. It is considered to have the resources to invest in mangrove protection and mitigation. This study will build a business case for mangrove interactions including how businesses can alter actions to mitigate and offset future impacts and initiate new interactions with mangroves (including details of value creation and competitive advantage, as well as factors needed for success and returns on investment). The business case will explore the idea of businesses being more conscious of mangroves in their decision-making. These include actions such as adopting a natural capital approach / considering nature-based solutions, in all that they do and in pursuit of their own aims and objectives. While the focus is on private sector impacts on mangroves, this study also looks at policy assessments, such as SWOT analysis of existing policies and plans that influence mangroves, including their contribution to the biodiversity impact mitigation hierarchy.

Mangroves contribute to businesses and communities through multiple ecosystem services, yet are undervalued and under-protected in Malaysia and globally. Using outputs and lessons from NetComFish (Newton-Ungku Omar Fund project), capacity building and co-creation, NexAMS aims to advance policy and business initiatives for improved, inclusive mangrove protection through sustainable use and build public-private-community partnerships, focusing on the state of Selangor. Using stakeholder engagement, desk work and knowledge exchange, these aims will be achieved through: (i) analysis of local, state, federal and international plans, policies and commitments to identify gaps and learn lessons on how existing initiatives impact mangroves and can be modified to support sustainable development with mangroves; (ii) assessment of past, present and potential future social, economic and environmental threats to mangroves to identify mitigating actions targeted at public and private sectors; (iii) identify achievable actions for businesses to minimise their impact on mangroves, support mangrove restoration and contribute to coastal community development; (iv) community engagement to identify optimum areas for mangrove protection for sustainable use and facilitation of business-community linkages; (v) outreach, engagement and targeted communication along the policy pathway and among business networks. For lasting impact, NexAMS will: work with stakeholders across local, state and federal decision-making tiers, and mutlisectorally, with local communities, the private sector, government, NGOs and academia; build the capacity of stakeholders to better manage mangrove resources through sustainable use; and facilitate increased interaction between different stakeholder groups to enable partnership building. These impacts will support coastal community livelihoods and environmentally sensitive economic development in Selangor and beyond.

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