Building Blue Carbon Projects - An Introductory Guide

1.3 Global Context of Blue Carbon

Blue Carbon may offer governments and the private sector the possibility to enhance efforts to meet their commitments and priorities with regards to the environment, sustainable development and climate change mitigation. Blue Carbon projects can run in concert with and complement national legal frameworks and policies regarding the management of Blue Carbon ecosystems and with international efforts and commitments on biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation. Examples at the national and international scale are provided in the following:

Consistency with national efforts

Blue Carbon concepts can be readily integrated with national environmental management strategies - especially those for protecting and restoring national biodiversity, ecosystem based management (EBM), coastal zone management, and coastal and marine protected area planning. Blue Carbon can support national efforts regarding the calculation of natural capital valuation and determination of values for compensation purposes by assessing the valuation of ecosystems services for coastal environments

“We  strive  to  inform  the higher  levels   of government about the scientific perspectives and the ecological importance of Blue Carbon ecosystems. We are making the case clear to the upper levels of government that Indonesia needs to coordinate and take Blue Carbon further.” Andreas Hutahaean, PhD

Head of the Research Group on Blue Carbon, Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries-Indonesia

Blue Carbon can support national efforts regarding climate change, including the promotion of environmental quality and policies and strategies for mitigating and adapting to climate change and reduce the carbon footprint. Blue Carbon concepts can support economic stability that is derived from well-managed coastal resources by conveying the value of those mangroves, seagrass meadows and coastal marshes to local communities and to national interests, along with maintaining their existing support for healthy fisheries and stable coastal systems. Blue Carbon can help meet national goals regarding conservation and sustainable coastal development, including land use planning nationwide with an emphasis on coastal areas and the integration of environmental priorities into development programs. Blue Carbon can improve the livelihoods of local communities by providing both income opportunities and subsistence resources. Blue Carbon can be a valuable mechanism to involve the private sector in conservation efforts through corporate social responsibility schemes (i.e., Plan Vivo Certificates traded on the voluntary carbon market).

Building Blue Carbon Projects An Introductory Guide

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