Building Blue Carbon Projects - An Introductory Guide

coral reefs protect mangrove and seagrass habitat from currents, waves, and storms. Healthy reefs can slow incoming waves, dissipating much of the force.

Many commercial and recreational fish and shellfish species share Blue Carbon and coral reef habitat such as these White Margate off Ambergris Caye, Belize (image credit Steven J Lutz, Blue Climate Solutions).

Coral reef ecosystems are also vital to the livelihoods and well-being of many coastal and island communities around the world. Healthy reefs have positive spill-over effects on local economies. These effects include replenishment of fish stocks and the potential for sustainable alternative livelihoods to fishing, thanks to increased tourism revenues and restoration of ecosystem services such as shoreline protection. Tourism and fisheries are two of the main economic pillars for many coastal and island states and healthy coral reef ecosystems are critical to both. As nature-based coastal  tourism  is  one  of  the  hospitality  industry’s  fastest  growing  sectors  and  food  security  is  a   pressing issue for coastal and island states, the value of healthy Blue Carbon and associated ecosystems is likely to rise. Figure 7 illustrates the crucial linkages between terrestrial ecosystems, adjacent Blue Carbon ecosystems, and coral reefs. When occurring together and in healthy states, the ecological linkages and ecosystem services of mangroves, seagrass beds, and coral reefs are vital to one another and to the long-term health and  sustainability of greater  coral  reef ecosystems. A  ‘ridge  to   reef’  approach  to  Blue  Carbon  projects  follows  an  ecosystem  approach, which  can  help address land-based impacts, protect connected corridors between these habitats, and maintain the resilience and productivity of greater coral reef ecosystems.

Key takeaways:

Coral reefs are not considered Blue Carbon sinks but they are an associated Blue Carbon ecosystem of significant value. When occurring together, coral reefs are an important associated Blue Carbon ecosystem, and mangroves and seagrass beds can be considered part of greater coral reef ecosystems.

Building Blue Carbon Projects An Introductory Guide

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