KUNMING - Non-governmental organizations from China and ASEAN countries on Monday set up a network for protecting mangroves as part of their efforts to address climate change and seek sustainable development.

The NGOs, including over ten foundations and research institutes from both sides, also issued an initiative for China-ASEAN mangrove conservation in Kunming, the capital of Southwest China's Yunnan province.

The initiative was created at a parallel NGO Forum of the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15), which opened Monday in Kunming.

It includes stopping the illegal cutting of mangroves, carrying out scientific restoration, promoting healthy mangrove ecosystems, strengthening regional collaboration to curb the loss of biodiversity, and exploring new paths and directions for regional governance.

Mangroves play an important role in protecting coastal ecosystems. Lately, however, global mangrove conservation has faced challenges due to economic development and human activities, experts at the forum noted.

China and the ASEAN region are the main mangrove distribution areas, and both sides have been actively carrying out mangrove conservation and strengthening dialogue and communication. It played a significant role in the global protection of mangroves and marine biodiversity, the experts noted.

The parallel NGO Forum was attended online and offline by more than 400 representatives from governments, NGOs, enterprises, and the general public from more than 30 countries.