Change and Continuity of Coastal Mangroves in Greater Mumbai, India: Towards the Sustainable Governance of Blue-Green Infrastructure

In the coastal megacities of the Global South, where urbanization is steeply accelerating, it is a complex undertaking to navigate and govern for ecological sustainability while working to address mounting pressures to develop the physical and natural environment. In this study, we closely analyze the legality of coastal mangroves in Greater Mumbai through the lens of Blue-Green Infrastructure (BGI), sustainable governance, and environmental policy processes. While there is the constitutional and legislative protection of mangroves, they continue to disappear from the Greater Mumbai landscape, raising legitimate concerns about governance failures writ large. Using a mixed-method approach, we employ geospatial analysis of mangrove cover change from 1994 through to 2024, along with a thematic review of policy and institutional perspectives. The geospatial analysis indicated a −3.91% reduction in mangrove cover because of land-use developments, infrastructure encroachments, and the weak enforcement of existing regulations. The policy review identified limited regulatory coherence, institutional fragmentation, and low levels of community engagement. We advocate for the conservation of mangrove ecosystems in Mumbai, not just as an environmental resource, but also as vital urban infrastructure. We argue for the need to identify opportunities for reform, such as enhanced community contribution and participation, policy harmonization, and uniform incorporation of BGI principles into spatial planning and climate adaptation planning in Greater Mumbai.