Destructive cyclones and dreamlike scenery: award-winning photos show beauty and destruction

A photograph of a young girl in a checked green dress against a backdrop of a churned-up sea filled with debris is the winner of a photography award. The picture depicts the aftermath of a cyclone in a mangrove forest in India. Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent in the region, leading to destruction, displacement, and the loss of livelihoods. Mangrove forests, found in 123 countries, are crucial in the fight against climate change and provide a habitat for threatened species. However, they are also one of the world’s most threatened ecosystems, with more than half at risk of collapse by 2050. The photography awards hope to raise awareness and inspire conservation efforts.