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BLUE CARBON
Blue Carbon refers to the carbon linked to natural
coastal and marine ecosystems and includes tidal
marshlands, mangrove forests, and seagrass meadows.
These ecosystems can slow climate change by fixing and
storing atmospheric carbon. They filter pollution, house
fish nurseries and buffer shorelines against storms. The
sustainable management of Blue Carbon ecosystems
benefits the people who rely on them for their livelihoods.
GRID-Arendal aims to promote the sustainable
management of Blue Carbon ecosystems by improving
our understanding its value and connection to related
ecosystem services. Our major efforts this year include:
• The Abu Dhabi Blue Carbon Demonstration Project
on the value of Blue Carbon and related ecosystem
services for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi;
• The GEF/UNEP Blue Forests Project, a global initiative
to explore the value of Blue Carbon and related
ecosystem services with project sites in Madagascar,
Indonesia, Ecuador, Mozambique, UAE, Kenya, and
Central America.
ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME
Transnational organized environmental crime is a rapidly
growing threat to the environment and sustainable
development. It deprives governments of revenues
from natural resources and threatens state security. It
involves illegal activities in five key areas: logging and
deforestation, fisheries, mining and trade in minerals,
dumping and trade in hazardous and toxic wastes, and
trade in and poaching of wildlife and plants.
GRID-Arendal’s Environmental Crime Programme aims
to raise global awareness of the losses and risks associated
with the rise in organized crime and illegal exploitation of
natural resources. In doing so, this year it will
• Support UN efforts to reduce deforestation worldwide
through projects in partnership with a number of
international bodies including UNEP, FAO and
INTERPOL;
• Support West African nations in reducing illegal
fisheries and curtail piracy;
• Help combat wildlife crime in East Africa by training
frontline rangers, prosecutors and customs together
with UNODC and INTERPOL; and
• Reduce surgeon poaching in the Caspian Sea.
An Overview of GRID-Arendal’s Programmes for 2015
GREEN ECONOMY
The ideas behind green, new or sustainable economics
are quickly developing as a viable, important evolution
of the global economic system. A major contemporary
challenge is to move innovation on Green Economy from
the fringes into the mainstream.
GRID’s Green Economy Program supports UNEP units
to meet policy, modeling, capacity building and reporting
goals for Green Economy.
This year GRID-Arendal will develop and deliver products
and activities based on its Green Economy competencies
(in house and through partner networks). These are
principally oriented to assist developing countries at
different stages of Green Economy Transition. Findings
from this work will be framed to create incentives for
green economics in developed countries, including
innovative policies, use of technology, and new ways of
engaging citizens.
Specific technical capacities include advising on Green
Economy in a number of areas and providing advisory
services to GRID and UNEP Units upon request.
MARINE SPATIAL PLANNING
Increasing competition for marine resources results in
conflict and affects the marine environment. Marine
spatial planning brings together stakeholders (including
users and managers) to build an understanding of these
human uses, resource distribution and natural values.
It develops scenarios for area based resource usage that
minimise conflict and improve sustainability.
GRID-Arendal supports developing nations and small
island states in negotiating and declaring maritime
boundaries, which provide the framework for marine
spatial planning.
This year the marine spatial planning programme is
• Working with Pacific nations and partners on
finalising maritime boundaries and providing training
on marine spatial planning through the Enhancing
Pacific Ocean Governance project;
• Developing capacity for area based planning for areas
beyond national jurisdiction; and
• Working with partners in Estonia to develop maps of
marine habitats and develop methods to assess their
status.
Annex 3