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Building Blue Carbon Projects
An Introductory Guide
Appendix 1- Example Blue Carbon Project Feasibility Assessment Questionnaire
The following example of a Blue Carbon feasibility assessment questionnaire is adapted from the
site selection criteria and intervention elements developed for terrestrial forestry carbon projects.
These criterions have been used to help guide the GEF funded Blue Carbon and ecosystem service
projects in Ecuador, Indonesia, Madagascar and Mozambique. They have also been shared with
partners interested in exploring Blue Carbon projects in Kenya, Malaysia and the Red Sea region.
The following questions are intended to help gauge the potential for project success, develop a
baseline for demonstrating additionality, and evidencing the sustainability of activities after
project end. They are arranged according to four criterions; appropriateness, technical feasibility,
financial feasibility, and risks:
Criterion
#
Sub-criterion
Question
Appropriateness 1
Blue Carbon habitat
area
How many hectares does the site cover?
2
Ecosystem type
What Blue Carbon ecosystem does the site focus on?
3
Ecosystem health
What is the state of ecosystem? (degraded vs. pristine)
4
Ecosystem impacts
What are the current impacts and source(s) of
degradation?
5
Ecosystem services
What are the current uses of this resource/area?
6
Ecosystem services
Are there viable ecosystem service prospects?
7
Payments for ecosystem
services
Do payments for ecosystem services options already
exist?
8
Carbon experience
Do payments for carbon already exist?
9
Carbon experience
What is the local and national experience with REDD
and REDD+ projects?
10 Replication
What potential does this project have to be replicated?
11 Project need
Does the site present an opportunity to address key
local/national policy challenges?
12 Project need
How can the project enhance existing management
practices?
13 Livelihood
considerations
What is the project's potential to enhance current
livelihoods and create new livelihood options?
14 Legal status
Do local and or national laws enable (or at least not
prohibit) payments for carbon and ecosystem services?
Technical
feasibility
15 Mapping
Is mapping data available for the project site?
16 Remote sensing
Do local experts have experience in validating remote
sensing data sources?
17 Scientific capacity
Do local experts have the necessary technical capacity
to undertake the project?
18 Scientific capacity
What are the local/national science needs?
19 Boundaries
Does the site have defined boundaries?
