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Building Blue Carbon Projects
An Introductory Guide
associated ecosystem. Along tidal margins of coastal sabkha where soils are consistently moist,
algal (cyanobacterial) ‘leather-like’ and moist mats are formed, with a laminated fabric of up to
tens of centimetres. Algal mats were found to store significant amounts of carbon, and present a
‘candidate’ Blue Carbon ecosystem to be studied further.
A team of policy and finance experts consulted extensively with stakeholders from over 20 local
and national institutions, agencies, and organizations, to learn how Blue Carbon ecosystems were
valued in the Emirate and identify which avenues were most attractive and feasible for
conservation. The project team recommends the following three options to Abu Dhabi that would
support the recognition and protection of Blue Carbon ecosystems and the services they provide
in the Emirate.
1.
Abu Dhabi could include the ecosystems in
their Greenhouse Gas Inventories and
reporting to UNFCC.
2.
Ecosystem-based Management (EBM) and
Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) offer
opportunities to improve the management of
these ecosystems, and high service delivery
sites in particular.
3.
The conservation and creation of Blue Carbon
ecosystems could be supported through a
dedicated Specialised Fund that would be
supported through offset funds from
developers in coastal and marine areas. The
generation of carbon credits through a
certification
project
was
considered
unattractive due to challenges over the
financial net benefit as well as eligibility
considerations.
The project has been presented to many local, regional and international parties and been
recognized as a featured intervention of the GEF Blue Forests Project, a major global UNEP
initiative. Significant results to-date includes the following:
The Emirate of Dubai will be utilising the project’s methodology and ecosystem services
habitat protocols for carrying out similar assessments;
The Northern Emirates, especially two important sites may be incorporated into future AGEDI
Blue Carbon work;
Project findings have been incorporated into Abu Dhabi’s National Biodiversity Strategies and
Action Plans (NBSAP) report;
Project findings have been incorporated into Abu Dhabi’s Environmental Performance Index
(AD-EPI) report;
Project findings have been incorporated into Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD) business
planning towards the Climate Change programme;
“Mangroves, along with the coastal
ecosystem are key to maintained and
improved sustainability of our Emirate.
The Abu Dhabi Blue Carbon
Demonstration Project is an invaluable
initiative, not only for the duration of
the project but beyond. The experience
and knowledge gained from this local
project will help pave the way for other
national Blue Carbon projects and
international efforts for a greener
economy and natural climate change
mitigation.”
H.E. Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak
Secretary General, Environment
Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD)
