tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70658041760247307072024-03-14T01:07:46.576-04:00Blue Carbon BlogSteven J Lutzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078660681832422418noreply@blogger.comBlogger247125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7065804176024730707.post-20512824691117781712023-03-27T04:12:00.008-04:002023-03-28T08:16:28.686-04:00High-Integrity Nature-Based Carbon Offsetting is Vital in the Fight Against Climate Change<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">[My Op Ed response article to the recent <a href="https://www.euronews.com/2023/03/17/carbon-offsets-dont-work-its-time-for-the-eu-to-change-its-approach">Euronews article</a>. The published article is linked here: Euronews / Lutz S / 25 Mar 2023 / <a href="https://www.euronews.com/2023/03/25/if-done-with-integrity-carbon-offsetting-could-be-vital-in-the-fight-against-climate-chang">If done with integrity, carbon offsetting could be vital in the fight against climate change</a>. The </span><span lang="EN-US">submitted </span><span lang="EN-US">version follows.]<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>High-Integrity Nature-Based Carbon Offsetting is Vital in the Fight Against Climate Change</b></span><i><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><i><span lang="EN-US">By Steven
Lutz, Senior Programme Officer and Blue Carbon Lead</span></i></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span lang="EN-US">The
conservation and restoration of carbon-rich mangrove forests is an important nature-based
climate solution that can assist in mitigating the global climate crisis</span></i><span lang="EN-US">. Image credit: Steven Lutz, GRID-Arendal, February 2023.</span></span></p>
</td></tr></tbody></table><span lang="EN-US">The world is
facing a climate emergency. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change's <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/report/sixth-assessment-report-cycle/">landmark report</a>
published earlier this month highlights the urgent need for more ambitious
action to address it. But reducing greenhouse gas emissions alone won't be
enough; we must also remove carbon from the atmosphere. The report urges immediate
actions to mitigate the unfolding climate crisis.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">This is where
market-based efforts to reduce carbon emissions come into play. Through the use
of nature-based carbon offsets, we can go some way to compensate for the hard to
eliminate emissions of carbon dioxide. Offsets can support climate solutions
such as the conservation and restoration of forests. But they shouldn’t be seen
as a get out of jail free card for polluting industries, offsets need to be
accompanied by actions to reduce emissions. Carbon offsets are bought and sold
on carbon markets to incentivise emissions reductions, making it economically
attractive for companies to invest in emission reduction solutions.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">However recent
articles, such as Euronews’ <a href="https://www.euronews.com/2023/03/17/carbon-offsets-dont-work-its-time-for-the-eu-to-change-its-approach">Carbon
offsets don't work. It's time for the EU to change its approach</a> and The
Guardian’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jan/18/revealed-forest-carbon-offsets-biggest-provider-worthless-verra-aoe">Revealed:
more than 90% of rainforest carbon offsets by biggest certifier are worthless,
analysis shows</a>, have exposed major issues regarding the integrity of nature-based
carbon offsetting. If market-based actions are not mitigating carbon emissions,
the whole premise of using carbon offsets as a tool to reduce emissions becomes
meaningless. In such a scenario, supporting market-based action would indeed be
of little point, as it would not lead to any actual reduction in emissions.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Nature-based
carbon offsets were never intended to “save us”; instead, they represent one of
a suite of actions needed to address emissions. Decades of research indicate
that the conservation and restoration of forests is effective in increasing the
capture and storage of carbon dioxide. Therefore, developing this into a
market-based mechanism has the potential to be one of the actions to address
climate change, with the added benefits of helping ecosystem conservation and
recovery and transferring much needed financial support to the global south.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5oxPG5mt1bLIYiujlfPBekklMi1l_d_bsTiB_FqT8UB9KMNvXHQmyMUTWtcMLs26I-AOETyS1lo_lWEm4sAaXE9hs3RvfIyI0Baq6oegGCTAM-hFc9RQ2YeTxShbHHQr9jCS2joetIs01E9aAc7k70clg1iTVwVz5jZ2YbwdgVRyLk0JAnBkEQtNhfQ/s2736/Image%202_%20Steven%20Lutz_GRID-Arendal_March%202023.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1925" data-original-width="2736" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5oxPG5mt1bLIYiujlfPBekklMi1l_d_bsTiB_FqT8UB9KMNvXHQmyMUTWtcMLs26I-AOETyS1lo_lWEm4sAaXE9hs3RvfIyI0Baq6oegGCTAM-hFc9RQ2YeTxShbHHQr9jCS2joetIs01E9aAc7k70clg1iTVwVz5jZ2YbwdgVRyLk0JAnBkEQtNhfQ/w400-h281/Image%202_%20Steven%20Lutz_GRID-Arendal_March%202023.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Name="index heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of figures"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope return"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="line number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="page number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="toa heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span face=""Calibri", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;">The
Vanga Blue Forest project advertises blue carbon offsets that deliver carbon,
community, and biodiversity benefits</span></i><span face=""Calibri", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;">. Image credit: Steven Lutz, GRID-Arendal, March
2023.</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span lang="EN-US">It is important
to note that there have been instances of fraudulent or problematic
nature-based carbon offsets sold in the past, however there are also legitimate
offsetting projects that effectively reduce and mitigate emissions.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Two shining
examples from Kenya are the <a href="https://www.mikokopamoja.org/">Mikoko
Pamoja</a><span class="widgetcaptiontext"> </span>community-based mangrove
conservation project, which <span class="widgetcaptiontext">along with its sister
project </span><a href="https://www.planvivo.org/vanga">Vanga Blue Forest</a><span class="widgetcaptiontext">, illustrate world-leading examples of </span>how
carbon offset projects can <a href="https://impact.economist.com/ocean/biodiversity-ecosystems-and-resources/ensuring-justice-for-communities-in-the-blue-carbon-boom">equitably
and justly benefit communities</a><span class="widgetcaptiontext">. </span>Companies
such as Microsoft prioritise the <a href="https://query.prod.cms.rt.microsoft.com/cms/api/am/binary/RE4QO0D">purchase
of carbon offsets with multiple benefits</a>. In Kenya, these projects help
people protect mangrove forests while also benefiting the community through the
sale of carbon offsets. The building of freshwater wells and the purchase of hospital
equipment and schoolbooks for local children have all been made possible thanks
to the carbon revenue.<span class="widgetcaptiontext"> </span>Financial
transparency and gender equity are core components of project oversight and organisation.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-TLSwLGKIlM_Kx2yjEid3q99eMGW5uVSloFYzR4MH9qXBc7qMWrejiN7RagzRUWKrxhUqop5U3lAj7nkWGL-yTtIOKUsvmWkhZOcH508P1cjO154uJ0T-Z5pyZEEYtlkh_u9A7Ec8bgBE9HmI_6rLXWPjiaPDdy_pM1gVUJRLoDWhVjysOaC4Tpe4MQ/s2436/Image%203_%20Steven%20Lutz_GRID-Arendal_June%202023.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1686" data-original-width="2436" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-TLSwLGKIlM_Kx2yjEid3q99eMGW5uVSloFYzR4MH9qXBc7qMWrejiN7RagzRUWKrxhUqop5U3lAj7nkWGL-yTtIOKUsvmWkhZOcH508P1cjO154uJ0T-Z5pyZEEYtlkh_u9A7Ec8bgBE9HmI_6rLXWPjiaPDdy_pM1gVUJRLoDWhVjysOaC4Tpe4MQ/w400-h276/Image%203_%20Steven%20Lutz_GRID-Arendal_June%202023.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span lang="EN-US">100% of the
proceeds from the sale of blue carbon offsets are visible and easily viewed by
all residents on the wall of the Vanga Bay Community Association office in
Kenya. Blue carbon finance supports local mangrove conservation and restoration
with water, education, and health benefits</span></i><span lang="EN-US">. Image
credit: Steven Lutz, GRID-Arendal, June 2022.</span></span></p>
</td></tr></tbody></table><span lang="EN-US">A critical next
step in developing high-integrity nature-based carbon offsetting is ensuring robust
governance of the market. National governments are responsible for managing
the benefits and risks to their citizens of engaging in the carbon market. Even
with the positive Kenyan examples, the recent critical articles illustrate that
a national approach may be needed to address issues such as <a href="https://4c.cst.cam.ac.uk/about/additionality-leakage-and-permanence">additionality,
leakage, and permanence</a>, and to truly upscale and sustainably manage
benefits. In addition to improved governance, independent verification and
standards may be required to help maximise and target carbon offset benefits for
communities and countries rather than just conventional market players.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">And countries
are taking note. The need for high-integrity coastal and marine nature-based –
or “blue carbon” – offsetting was a hot topic of discussion in an open session
at the recent dialogue meeting of the <a href="https://bluecarbonpartnership.org/2023/03/23/ipbc/">International
Partnership for Blue Carbon</a>, with representatives from the governments of Australia,
France, Columbia, United Kingdom, Sierra Leone, Seychelles, Costa Rica, Korea, and
many others participating. <a name="_Hlk130274773">National forums recognising
the need for enhanced nature-based carbon market governance have also recently
been held in </a><a href="https://www.thejakartapost.com/opinion/2023/03/05/charting-a-path-toward-strong-blue-carbon-governance.html"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk130274773;">Indonesia</span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk130274773;"> and </span><a href="https://www.thenational.com.pg/carbon-trading-lacks-regulations/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk130274773;">Papua New Guinea</span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk130274773;">.</span> <span class="widgetcaptiontext">From
the Kenyan experience, we can envision high-integrity nature-based carbon
offsets that can </span>provide carbon, community, and biodiversity benefits<span class="widgetcaptiontext"> in a way that is accountable and verifiable</span>.</span></p>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span face=""Calibri", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;">Representatives
from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO),
GRID-Arendal, Conservation International, The Pew Charitable Trusts,
Commonwealth Blue Charter, Seychelles, and Costa Rica (from left to right)
discuss national blue carbon commitments at the 2023 International Partnership
for Blue Carbon Dialogue. The meeting also focused on high-integrity in blue
carbon offsetting</span></i><span face=""Calibri", sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;">.
Image credit: Dominic Wodehouse, Mangrove Action Project, February 2023.</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span lang="EN-US">The recent
critiques of nature-based carbon offsetting provide us with an excellent
opportunity for a sober reality check on what’s happening in the market. By all
means, let’s review the current projects and see if they deliver on their
carbon, community and biodiversity promises. Let’s also focus on making the
market work specifically for communities and countries, creating a north-south
revenue stream that values nature, and where carbon offsets can play a role in
its protection, if done right. The Kenyan experience illustrates that community-based
carbon offsetting can work, and governments are expressing their desire for
action. For the market to flourish and make real progress in the fight against
climate change, it needs to hear the criticism and evolve.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><a name="_Hlk130567848"><i><span lang="EN-US">Steven Lutz is a Senior Programme Officer and Blue Carbon Lead for </span></i></a><a href="https://www.grida.no/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk130567848;"><i><span lang="EN-US">GRID-Arendal</span></i></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk130567848;"><i><span lang="EN-US">, a Norwegian foundation and collaborating centre of the United
Nations Environment Programme.</span></i><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></p>
<p></p>Steven J Lutzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078660681832422418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7065804176024730707.post-76346682415989629882023-03-18T13:18:00.008-04:002023-03-19T13:38:17.815-04:00Carbon offsets don't work. It's time for the EU to change its approach<p>I share the author's concern over issues facing nature-based carbon offsets. However, the article includes note of <span class="widget__captionWrap"><span class="widget__captionText"><a href="https://www.mikokopamoja.org/">Mikoko Pamoja</a>, which along with its sister project <a href="https://www.planvivo.org/vanga">Vanga Blue Forest</a>, illustrate world-leading examples of <a href="https://impact.economist.com/ocean/biodiversity-ecosystems-and-resources/ensuring-justice-for-communities-in-the-blue-carbon-boom">how carbon offset projects can equitably and justly benefit communities</a> (which somewhat counters the article's view).<br /></span></span></p><p><span class="widget__captionWrap"><span class="widget__captionText">Perhaps the future of nature-based offsets includes projects designed specifically to benefit communities and address climate justice?</span></span></p><p><span class="widget__captionWrap"><span class="widget__captionText">Euronews / 17 Mar 2023 / <a href="https://www.euronews.com/2023/03/17/carbon-offsets-dont-work-its-time-for-the-eu-to-change-its-approach">Carbon offsets don't work. It's time for the EU to change its approach</a></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpasMnz8tkhiMz7_ZwbZWa-fTMAPKVGCK0Hd8cYyGBTeR0wY6cChDvwFwWVRy2rubWLA-hhNNNGFXaBMHeZp_lljbgBaEpbGSynSwtPl7w2ajYIOWzEDw8tEACehXhT1yPbsWmHvZxq9kx62ZGFEILO1CwOWXbhy4Uc4hUiGmuoRGL2jGdRght3xGASQ/s750/750x503_cmsv2_7a64834a-c370-5f76-8396-efffd3770783-7471128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="750" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpasMnz8tkhiMz7_ZwbZWa-fTMAPKVGCK0Hd8cYyGBTeR0wY6cChDvwFwWVRy2rubWLA-hhNNNGFXaBMHeZp_lljbgBaEpbGSynSwtPl7w2ajYIOWzEDw8tEACehXhT1yPbsWmHvZxq9kx62ZGFEILO1CwOWXbhy4Uc4hUiGmuoRGL2jGdRght3xGASQ/w400-h269/750x503_cmsv2_7a64834a-c370-5f76-8396-efffd3770783-7471128.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A member of Mikoko Pamoja, Swahili for 'mangroves together', plants a mangrove tree at Gazi Bay, in Kwale county, Kenya, June 2022 (Brian Inganga/www.photoshots.co.ke)</td></tr></tbody></table>The European Union’s strategy to turn Europe into the first climate-neutral continent by 2050 is doomed to failure.<p>Yet,
that can be prevented if it rejects the greenwashing of carbon
offsetting programmes and shifts policy and finance flows towards
genuine climate solutions focused on reducing emissions in line with the
science.</p><p>The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC), charged with advancing scientific knowledge about
anthropogenic climate change, has just released its sixth synthesis
report, which indicates there is no further room for offsets. </p><div class="c-advertising-sticky-floor"></div><p>It
shows that by continuing to channel policy focus and financial flows
towards mitigation efforts such as carbon offsets and other false
solutions — and away from adaptation and the real solutions — we are
delaying the immediate emission reduction target by 2030, and we will
offshoot 1.5.</p><h2><span style="font-size: small;">Brussels' directive is poised to do more harm than good</span></h2><p data-min-tv-running="true">The
EU is due to publish its Green Claims Directive Proposal next week
before it goes to the European Parliament and the European Council as
part of the standard legislative process, with it expected to be passed
into law before the end of 2024. </p><div class="editor-tv-wrapper editor-tv-progress" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 550px; min-width: 250px;"><div class="editor-tv-component"><div id="minute-size-container" style="position: relative; width: 100%;"></div></div></div><p>The
directive is part of the broader 2020 Circular Economy action plan
under the EU Green Deal aimed at bringing in EU-wide standards to
prevent companies from making false and misleading environmental claims
about their products and services.</p><p>It's also meant to help consumers make informed choices and ensure a
level playing field for businesses when marketing their greenness.</p><p>The
proposed directive includes independent oversight mechanisms to ensure
all “green claims” are substantiated and requires member states to
ensure enforcement of the new guidelines through new powers for the
competent authorities and to establish complaint procedures.</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span class="widget__quoteText"><i>Hundreds of organisations have spoken
out against this initiative, arguing that over-reliance on removals to
offset ongoing emissions risks no net reductions in emissions.</i></span></li></ul><p><span class="widget__quoteText">Simultaneously and as part of the broader Green Deal, the European Commission is also considering a Carbon Removals Certification Framework (CRCF) proposal to regulate offset schemes, which would form part of the assessment of any green claims. <br /><br />Hundreds of organisations have spoken out against this initiative, arguing that over-reliance on removals to offset ongoing emissions risks no net reductions in emissions. <br /><br />In fact, it increases the chances of overshooting temperature goals and chances of crossing tipping points and irreversible environmental impacts.</span></p><p><b>Damage is not undone by doing what is right somewhere else</b><br /><br />Simply put, carbon offsets won’t save us. They have been proven a failure and are a barrier to real climate solutions. <br /><br />It is difficult to see how they would pass a genuine assessment of any claims to the contrary. <br /><br />Carbon certification companies such as Plan Vivo and Verra cannot be considered independent authorities of the validity of these schemes.</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i>Carbon offsetting is founded on misplaced assumptions of equivalence — that it is possible to trade off destructive practices in one place with positive actions in another.</i><br /></li></ul><p>Multiple investigations and research projects have shown that the
vast majority of carbon offset schemes, most of which focus on the
planting or conserving of trees to balance out environmentally
destructive business practices, simply do not work. </p><p>But the
voluntary offsets market is a multi-billion euro industry that Verra,
Plan Vivo and others will do anything to protect, and they’re now
looking into monetising biodiversity.</p><p>Carbon offsetting is founded on misplaced assumptions of equivalence — that it is possible to trade off destructive practices in one place with positive actions in another. <br /><br />But that doesn’t equate to the natural world, where all ecosystems and habitats are unique and are not interchangeable.</p><p><b>Carbon offsetting entrenches inequalities</b><br /><br />Carbon trading and offsets have also proven to be ineffective ways of reducing emissions and halting the production of fossil fuels. <br /><br />It means emissions are still being generated — often by companies in the Global North — not reduced, and offset somewhere else — often in the Global South — allowing companies to continue their unsustainable practices.</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i>These projects are also often responsible for human rights abuses, environmental harms and land conflicts and have gender-differentiated impacts.</i><br /></li></ul><p>These projects are also often responsible for human rights abuses, environmental harms and land conflicts and have gender-differentiated impacts. <br /><br />They inherently favour those with economic power and tend to further entrench inequalities faced by marginalised groups, including women in all their diversity and Indigenous Peoples.<br /><br />Research shows that whenever forests become more commercially attractive, for example, through forest carbon offsets markets and plantations, there has been a tendency for forest tenure and access rights — in the rare cases where tenure rights are present — to shift from women to men.<br />Brussels should listen to reason backed by evidence<br /><br />Beyond the fact that carbon offsetting is not the answer to climate change, these other important questions on human rights, justice, equity, and local economic, health, and social impacts of these projects require scrutiny.<br /></p><p></p>Steven J Lutzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078660681832422418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7065804176024730707.post-84167004257864986952023-03-12T04:22:00.004-04:002023-03-13T07:53:34.565-04:00Verra to replace its rainforest offsets scheme<p style="text-align: left;"><i>Verra will phase out programme by mid-2025 after Guardian investigation found it was flawed</i></p><p style="text-align: left;">Greenfield P / The Guardian / 10 Mar 2023 / <a href="https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/10/biggest-carbon-credit-certifier-replace-rainforest-offsets-scheme-verra-aoe ">Biggest carbon credit certifier to replace its rainforest offsets scheme</a></p><p style="text-align: left;">More shade on Verra, the largest nature-based carbon credit certifier. Something to consider when developing blue carbon market projects. Article highlights:</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span class="dcr-amp-5lhkrp">authors of Verra’s own rules for the carbon
credits say they are flawed and open to exploitation, potentially
allowing tens of millions of worthless carbon credits to be issued and
sold to companies in the meantime.</span></li><li><span class="dcr-amp-5lhkrp">[Verra] said it would update its methodologies in the coming months and the new methodology would be available this year. <br /></span></li><li><span class="dcr-amp-5lhkrp">the author of a widely used methodology, said it was “tempting to abuse the flexibility of these models” that Verra allows. </span></li><li>Prices and demand for Verra’s rainforest offsets dropped after the investigation (<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jan/18/revealed-forest-carbon-offsets-biggest-provider-worthless-verra-aoe">see Guardian article</a>), following a longer-term fall in the market since it peaked in 2021.</li><li><span class="dcr-amp-5lhkrp">Verra has validated credits using disgraced
methodologies and now they say they are going to change everything.
Those credits are mostly hot air. What’s going to happen to the
projects?</span></li></ul><b>How companies use carbon offsetting to hit emissions goals</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgEIN5fPplmQx3rbPpz0dsTN8d5aUj9uOHMxXd_YJ-yjY2wH0xobhhSShmbvzOlJ4zwSxPAG92pjs8nEcVisLujVL2L1KKo5ET5SG0V7_goipYzNzi0E9pNBAEGF9fm94wxHeScXyMfQca_JdZLNAjvdStlZusFfMfoADqQBmGpy_5EAtlJWXNNNqDcw/s854/Step01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="854" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgEIN5fPplmQx3rbPpz0dsTN8d5aUj9uOHMxXd_YJ-yjY2wH0xobhhSShmbvzOlJ4zwSxPAG92pjs8nEcVisLujVL2L1KKo5ET5SG0V7_goipYzNzi0E9pNBAEGF9fm94wxHeScXyMfQca_JdZLNAjvdStlZusFfMfoADqQBmGpy_5EAtlJWXNNNqDcw/s320/Step01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5HrhVvtt2GV454jeI-L7W-MI8sTuqmC3fp2fM9F9-r641RNFounKDqmw_mfCjaB5YZzPsEQxdZGpUDj3NGcTKkGt-XTvu8yiCdLGP-AtkPyuZwexPfxJ7PskziSEmtJzLN2D8yZ3lyQntdj2k3uu4o2Owczinac_On_YrSWC7hzYMJAn9z9JeHzpLtQ/s854/step02.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="854" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5HrhVvtt2GV454jeI-L7W-MI8sTuqmC3fp2fM9F9-r641RNFounKDqmw_mfCjaB5YZzPsEQxdZGpUDj3NGcTKkGt-XTvu8yiCdLGP-AtkPyuZwexPfxJ7PskziSEmtJzLN2D8yZ3lyQntdj2k3uu4o2Owczinac_On_YrSWC7hzYMJAn9z9JeHzpLtQ/s320/step02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQl0gpFrojNDkAcG9NViKhN6kcFmIT-HQ-omLixuiKABYXKhkBqBeL_YC515V6phVrb4-k36CSXjg-R-zB2k1EQ8fQPolKPUO_jh4EznQBdMNXSkxkYJEG7A65JB_xWk1xHGTHHdhH7heCr0r1Q-DNiyi0NSYBeDq3aftf1PVIeEpZoYxdypn3QeJsWA/s854/Step03.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="854" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQl0gpFrojNDkAcG9NViKhN6kcFmIT-HQ-omLixuiKABYXKhkBqBeL_YC515V6phVrb4-k36CSXjg-R-zB2k1EQ8fQPolKPUO_jh4EznQBdMNXSkxkYJEG7A65JB_xWk1xHGTHHdhH7heCr0r1Q-DNiyi0NSYBeDq3aftf1PVIeEpZoYxdypn3QeJsWA/s320/Step03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2PbZ6NNXDd8g6S94JrIrxX2jHcY006mduHzEARhSkuwKiGk1IUAfVm1__haKg4DGMm32j4q7JIWDBtyRWJuHsyFM4IjTYOhiy1VoRmCM5SFU6csKjcMx1LJ4j92DmfrxMRS_VyMOE675azq2jrN9_AKT5LPY1zQ8L3eKKIHbGky3F4zC5ik7Rm0CiIw/s854/Step04.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="854" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2PbZ6NNXDd8g6S94JrIrxX2jHcY006mduHzEARhSkuwKiGk1IUAfVm1__haKg4DGMm32j4q7JIWDBtyRWJuHsyFM4IjTYOhiy1VoRmCM5SFU6csKjcMx1LJ4j92DmfrxMRS_VyMOE675azq2jrN9_AKT5LPY1zQ8L3eKKIHbGky3F4zC5ik7Rm0CiIw/s320/Step04.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Steven J Lutzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078660681832422418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7065804176024730707.post-90836156686937509122023-03-05T05:25:00.002-05:002023-03-14T02:32:02.859-04:00Charting a path toward strong blue carbon governance<p>The Jakarta Post / 5 Mar 2023 / <a href="https://www.thejakartapost.com/opinion/2023/03/05/charting-a-path-toward-strong-blue-carbon-governance.html">Charting a path toward strong blue carbon governance</a><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-12xl6J0IPXtUD_Y9gAZzVrBMHHfAGXJcYW-XaBv0iN-ZZtYX_dsJ4oWT_nWOH7Ztx9Ns-Yt5KPlVPVYLC0xHzxYFxhwmZM5B9G6UUz7dGNlODox1kGbm4zPHvUuBCpp5CZhu47Eg3i5V4A3fIZZK_jHcymM_iMTNKxrrgBfaRb-5UzKKw-Xf3bcdKw/s1485/2023-03-06_Jakarta%20Post_Charting%20a%20path_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1485" data-original-width="891" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-12xl6J0IPXtUD_Y9gAZzVrBMHHfAGXJcYW-XaBv0iN-ZZtYX_dsJ4oWT_nWOH7Ztx9Ns-Yt5KPlVPVYLC0xHzxYFxhwmZM5B9G6UUz7dGNlODox1kGbm4zPHvUuBCpp5CZhu47Eg3i5V4A3fIZZK_jHcymM_iMTNKxrrgBfaRb-5UzKKw-Xf3bcdKw/w384-h640/2023-03-06_Jakarta%20Post_Charting%20a%20path_.jpg" width="384" /></a></div>Steven J Lutzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078660681832422418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7065804176024730707.post-9636807339507647072023-03-05T02:29:00.004-05:002023-03-14T03:44:40.017-04:00China explores the blue carbon market<p>A "carbon sink of a fishery" (related to algae aquaculture) has been aucctioned off in China. </p><p>Here are a few highlights from a related articles:</p><p>Chinadaily / 28 Feb 2023 / <a href="http://ningbo.chinadaily.com.cn/2023-02/28/c_864409.htm">Ningbo taps market for blue carbon credits</a></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The blue carbon credits are what the ecosystems generate based on the quantity of carbon they absorb and store. The credits are sold to buyers that want to offset their carbon emissions.</li><li>The blue carbon credit market is relatively new in China. To date, only five blue carbon deals have been made in the country.</li><li>The blue carbon credits sold on Tuesday are generated by three varieties of algae – kelp, seaweed and sea lettuce - at Xihu Port in Xiangshan. More than 20 enterprises and institutions from around the nation attended the auction, and Zhejiang Yiduan Precision Machinery Co Ltd, a machine manufacturer in Ningbo, won the bidding wars.</li></ul><p>New China TV (YouTube video) / 2 Mar 2023 / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X7X5ML2v8k">First "blue carbon" auction held in China's Ningbo</a></p><p>Ningbo.gov / 23 Feb 2023 / <a href="http://www.ningbo.gov.cn/art/2023/2/23/art_1229172794_59451632.html">Ningbo's first blue carbon pilot project passed the expert acceptance</a></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>the blue carbon storage and increment of the coastal wetland on the
south bank of Hangzhou Bay are 696300 tons/year and 32700 tons/year
respectively, and the carbon sink value of the coastal wetland is
1866100 yuan/year. The total carbon reserves of the intertidal zone on
the south bank of Hangzhou Bay are 1.1488 million tons, including 63300
tons, 150700 tons, 13700 tons, 00400 tons and 797900 tons of reed,
Spartina alterniflora, Scirpus mariqueter, Suaeda salsa and Guangtan
respectively.</li></ul><p>CGTN / 3 Mar 2023 / <a href="https://news.cgtn.com/news/2023-03-03/First-blue-carbon-auction-held-in-China-s-Ningbo-1hRQNGjruBW/index.html">First 'blue carbon' auction held in China's Ningbo</a><br /></p><p>About 2,340 tonnes of blue carbon was auctioned off in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province on Tuesday, in an effort to help improve the marine environment in the area.<br /><br />The item of the auction, the first of its kind in the country, is the annual total carbon sink of a fishery in Xiangshan County, with the starting price at 30 yuan (about $4.4) per tonne.<br /><br />The winning bidder was Zhejiang Yiduan Precision Machinery Co., Ltd., which bought it at 248,000 yuan (about $35,900).<br /><br />Blue carbon refers to carbon dioxide that is captured by marine activities and marine organisms, and stored in the marine ecosystem.<br /><br />The auction helped facilitate the development of local blue carbon resources, which are expected to generate substantial economic and ecological benefits for the region.</p>Steven J Lutzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078660681832422418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7065804176024730707.post-26711121608925454982023-03-04T04:31:00.002-05:002023-03-13T06:28:35.223-04:00Blue carbon trading lacks regulations<p>The National / March 2, 2023 / <a href="https://www.thenational.com.pg/carbon-trading-lacks-regulations/">Carbon trading lacks regulations</a><br /></p><p>THE Government does not have regulatory powers to control operations of carbon trading in the country, an official says. Climate Change Development Authority’s (CCDA) measurement, reporting and verification, and national communication division acting general manager Debra Sungi said the Government did not even have power to stop investors negotiating directly with locals.</p><p>Sungi said this was because the country did not have a carbon marketing policy framework to allow the Government to monitor, regulate and allow for carbon marketing to take place, whether it be in the forest or marine environment. “We need a regulatory framework to ensure everything that everyone is doing is working for a common goal,” she said. “There are a lot of activities, not only carbon marketing, but also in the conservation, preservation, agriculture, manufacturing and waste management in large companies, as well as academic research done by academia, all these need to be monitored and regulated.</p><p>“As we speak there is no national carbon policy framework to give the Government the powers to control or oversee those activities. “So with the policy framework, we hope to connect these activities, bring them under a common framework so we all work toward a common goal.” </p><p>Sungi said carbon marketing was one of the reasons why the Government needed to have a policy frame work. But before addressing carbon marketing, the CCDA needs to address two key areas, implementation of an inventory, and a blue carbon framework to capture the marine ecosystem which also plays a vital role in controlling carbon emissions. Sungi said this during the <a href="https://emtv.com.pg/blue-carbon-workshop/">Blue Carbon Framework for Papua New Guinea workshop</a> yesterday in Port Moresby. </p><p>The workshop was attended by key shareholders and development partners acting country manager for The Nature Conservancy, Ruth Konia, said blue carbon ecosystems such as mangroves, seagrass beds and saltmarshes constitute two to six per cent of the total area of tropical forests, however, their degradation accounts for 19 per cent of annual carbon emissions from global deforestation. She said TNC would work with the Government through the CCDA to develop the regulatory framework which could capture both the blue (marine) and red (forest) carbon markets.<br /></p>Steven J Lutzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078660681832422418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7065804176024730707.post-14478387755671297102023-03-04T01:25:00.002-05:002023-03-14T03:40:34.361-04:00Norwergian Blue Carbon<p>Dagbladet / 1 Mar 2023 / <a href="https://www.dagbladet.no/nyheter/dette-redder-norge/78583608">Dette redder Norge</a> (orgininal in Norwegain)<br /></p><p><i>For the first time, scientists have calculated how much carbon the </i>[Norwegain]<i> ocean takes up</i><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDOr5hVgbMIuvCgOi6B-spOkx_IcrPrQedO-uXze0baCa3g3Sk-mdTnmpAPHqI2LRkRnxAmNAkjJGEih2MT13T0WWaqVsaJWoy0dyynFo9z7yp_W8XjAb3c-LzLNqc4JGIRkpPP08n3MizGmJ9FlCzbQ85_1cx79BpXGCcNv79fXEuIsxG7rJX7sD-A/s688/78624156.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="688" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDOr5hVgbMIuvCgOi6B-spOkx_IcrPrQedO-uXze0baCa3g3Sk-mdTnmpAPHqI2LRkRnxAmNAkjJGEih2MT13T0WWaqVsaJWoy0dyynFo9z7yp_W8XjAb3c-LzLNqc4JGIRkpPP08n3MizGmJ9FlCzbQ85_1cx79BpXGCcNv79fXEuIsxG7rJX7sD-A/w400-h275/78624156.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">A healthy and lush kelp forest outside Å in Lofoten. Photo: Fredrik Myhre, WWF World Wide Fund for Nature</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Highlights from new research on Norwegain blue carbon:<br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>For the first time, researchers have calculated how much carbon eelgrass, kelp forests and the like have taken up and stored along the coastal zone in Norway: Around <b>137 million tonnes</b> of carbon.</li><li><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">The ocean absorbs more than we emit, and is around 4.5 per cent of Norway's total CO2 emissions, and it is stored permanently.</span></li></ul><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"></span>Steven J Lutzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078660681832422418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7065804176024730707.post-39500351242620272672023-01-28T07:33:00.006-05:002023-03-14T02:32:44.627-04:00Ensuring justice for communities in the blue carbon boom<p>An article on blue carbon social safeguards of the Vanga Blue Forest project, one of the project sites of the UNEP/GEF Blue Forests Project:</p><p>Economist Impact / 25 Jan 2023 / <a href="https://impact.economist.com/ocean/biodiversity-ecosystems-and-resources/ensuring-justice-for-communities-in-the-blue-carbon-boom">Ensuring justice for communities in the blue carbon boom</a></p><p>The demand for blue carbon credits is growing rapidly. Buyers from industry, government and civil society are increasingly seeking to offset their emissions by funding the restoration and protection of coastal ecosystems, as awareness grows of their power to sequester carbon and deliver many other benefits. The current supply of blue carbon credits falls well behind demand, so there is great incentive for the development of new projects. To date, carbon credits have only been issued from mangrove conservation and restoration, although work is under way to certify seagrass and saltmarsh ecosystems.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Socioecological system</b><br /><br />Mangrove forests are a socioecological system. This means that where communities live alongside mangroves, people become intrinsically part of nature. Fisher-people benefit from the boost that mangroves provide to fish populations as a sheltered habitat for them to breed and grow. The forests’ biodiversity boosts tourism and supports resilient ecosystems and food chains on which many people depend. Communities living inland are protected by the natural sea wall that the forests create. The forests provide a source of timber that coastal populations rely on for cooking and building, and a source of other products including honey, fibres, dyes and medicines. But this reliance on mangrove products, particularly timber, is contributing to forest degradation and loss in areas with high levels of poverty. This means that the people who depend the most on mangrove forests must be put at the heart of conservation efforts.<br /><br />Blue carbon projects are certified by one of several carbon standards. The core function of these standards is to ensure that the carbon being claimed by the projects is accurate and verifiable, but each framework also includes its own criteria for social, environmental and economic elements. For example, the Plan Vivo Foundation prioritises poverty alleviation and the inclusion and support of communities tackling the climate crisis through its projects.<br /><br />Extensive research has ascertained what makes community-based conservation effective and socially just. This involves not just consulting those involved but ensuring that they play an active role in the governance, management and decision-making of projects and their interventions.<br /></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i>Community-based conservation involves not just consulting those involved but ensuring that they play an active role in the governance, management and decision-making of projects and their interventions.</i></li></ul><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p><b>Community engagement</b><br /><br />Effective community-based management takes time, resources, patience and an open-ended, iterative approach to developing and managing projects. It must capture the diversity and complexity of what defines a “community” and be adaptive to changing social, economic and environmental contexts. Community engagement and involvement is not a tick-box exercise confined to the project-development phase; it is a principle that must be embedded throughout the project lifespan with the understanding that community needs, expectations and ambitions can change as the project progresses.<br />Community engagement<br /><br />Blue carbon projects present unique challenges for community engagement and involvement. For example, the certification process is onerous and demands scientific, technical, ecological and political knowledge and capabilities. These are not always skills that community groups hold—at least, not in the way demanded by carbon standards—meaning that “outside” help is almost always needed to develop and sometimes manage a project. While a partnership approach is not unusual in conservation, the reliance on partners in a carbon project may give rise to conflicts over project ownership and sharing the benefits of carbon revenue.<br /><br />To develop a socially just and effective blue carbon project, the challenge of meaningfully involving communities must be addressed. However, the increasing demand for blue carbon credits creates an incentive for rapid project development to generate large volumes of credits. This incentive is at odds with the time and resources required to adequately engage and involve people in project development and management.</p><p><b>Quality over quantity</b><br /><br />This conflict between the quantity and quality of projects and their credits must be understood by governments, funders and buyers of carbon credits. Funders and national blue carbon strategies must prioritise local people’s needs and inclusion alongside carbon benefit, understanding that without the former, the latter is unachievable or unsustainable. This means addressing the root causes of degradation—in many cases, such as in East Africa, the need for timber as a result of poverty. It also means undertaking meaningful and comprehensive engagement with communities and maintaining their involvement throughout the project lifespan through iterative engagement and adaptation. Community-led projects such as the Mikoko Pamoja and Vanga Blue Forest projects in Kenya have demonstrated how projects can deliver community benefits and justice alongside carbon benefit, and their example has been followed elsewhere in Africa and further afield.<br /><br />With the current boom in demand and funding for blue carbon, there is great potential for climate, environmental and social benefits to be realised. It is essential, however, that this “blue carbon fever” doesn’t allow quantity to take priority over quality.<br /><br /><i>Mwanarusi Mwafrica will be speaking at the 2023 World Ocean Summit’s session on “Developing blue-nature-based solutions to address global climate and biodiversity challenges” on February 28th at 12.00 GMT, in Lisbon. The sessions will discuss how credible blue-nature-based solutions are being developed, why it is important to develop coastal ecosystems to protect biodiversity as well as for carbon offsetting, and how this is happening.</i><br /><br /><b>About the authors</b><br /><br />Robyn Shilland is director of ACES, a Scotland-based charity supporting community-led blue carbon projects, including the Mikoko Pamoja and Vanga Blue Forest projects. Her work involves co-ordinating the certification of projects to the Plan Vivo Standard and working with communities to develop and manage effective blue carbon projects. She has 10 years’ experience of working in the carbon market and conducting research into carbon-offsetting ethics and social justice in carbon projects.<br /><br />Mwanarusi Mwafrica is the project co-ordinator for Vanga Blue Forest. She is responsible for the everyday management of the project and co-ordinating community engagement and governance. She has three years’ experience working with the Vanga community on sustainable mangrove conservation and protection in Kenya.</p>Steven J Lutzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078660681832422418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7065804176024730707.post-41437690292174906672023-01-26T05:50:00.002-05:002023-03-13T04:54:50.633-04:00Sargassum Carbon?News from the Columbia Climate School | January 25, 2023 | <a href="https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2023/01/25/what-is-blue-carbon-and-how-can-it-help-fight-climate-change/">What Is Blue Carbon and How Can It Help Fight Climate Change?</a><p><i>Subramaniam is proposing what he calls “a nature-based solution” for carbon removal that takes Sargassum macroalgae and sinks it down to 2,000 meters below the ocean’s surface. Sargassum is a pelagic macroalgae, which means it spends its entire lifecycle on the surface of the ocean and is visible to the eye. “It’s never attached to land and doesn’t come onshore unless it’s washed up and beached.”</i></p><p><img alt="A graphic illustration of Ajit Subramaniam's blue carbon project using advanced remote sensing, modeling, and marine robotics to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere." aria-describedby="caption-attachment-104515" class="wp-image-104515 size-large" height="492" src="https://news.climate.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/SargassumFinal1-CarolineJuang-transparent-letter-637x492.png" width="637" /><i> </i></p><p><i>An illustration of Subramaniam’s project using advanced remote sensing, modeling, and marine robotics to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere while also mitigating economic and ecological harm caused by Sargassum. Image by Caroline Juang, courtesy of Ajit Subramaniam<br /></i></p>Steven J Lutzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078660681832422418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7065804176024730707.post-47144276714130735302023-01-21T06:51:00.005-05:002023-03-14T02:40:48.856-04:00More than 90% of Verra's rainforest carbon offsets are worthless<p>Greenfield P / The Guardian / 18 Jan 2023 / <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jan/18/revealed-forest-carbon-offsets-biggest-provider-worthless-verra-aoe">Revealed: more than 90% of rainforest carbon offsets by biggest certifier are worthless, analysis shows</a></p><p>Does Verra's blue carbon projects have similar issues? </p><p>Selected text from article:<br /></p><p>The forest carbon offsets approved by the world’s leading certifier and used by Disney, Shell, Gucci and other big corporations are largely worthless and could make global heating worse, according to a new investigation.<br /><br />The research into Verra, the world’s leading carbon standard for the rapidly growing $2bn (£1.6bn) voluntary offsets market, has found that, based on analysis of a significant percentage of the projects, more than 90% of their rainforest offset credits – among the most commonly used by companies – are likely to be “phantom credits” and do not represent genuine carbon reductions.</p><p>The investigation found that:<br /></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Only a handful of Verra’s rainforest projects showed evidence of deforestation reductions, according to two studies, with further analysis indicating that 94% of the credits had no benefit to the climate.</li><li>The threat to forests had been overstated by about 400% on average for Verra projects, according to analysis of a 2022 University of Cambridge study.</li><li>Gucci, Salesforce, BHP, Shell, easyJet, Leon and the band Pearl Jam were among dozens of companies and organisations that have bought rainforest offsets approved by Verra for environmental claims.</li><li>Human rights issues are a serious concern in at least one of the offsetting projects. The Guardian visited a flagship project in Peru, and was shown videos that residents said showed their homes being cut down with chainsaws and ropes by park guards and police. They spoke of forced evictions and tensions with park authorities. <br /></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUNLDveejjFAhF3t17TKlkvm7_aFdNaUnoVEL5jdTGAAP4Lt_Rup7afMJfeZ1tjJSaLYkkwrE5w69PZ4QC_lVkp5rjODtJcnhd18Vc9F0PsZkZqNql6z2Z5pMhsl09z5EQMIL3dfO03F0v5hQk2tIZIHjU9l3LdfX8q-SRUDsLimiHbzwWFoAwM71nSQ/s880/Using%20Carbon%20offsets%2001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="614" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUNLDveejjFAhF3t17TKlkvm7_aFdNaUnoVEL5jdTGAAP4Lt_Rup7afMJfeZ1tjJSaLYkkwrE5w69PZ4QC_lVkp5rjODtJcnhd18Vc9F0PsZkZqNql6z2Z5pMhsl09z5EQMIL3dfO03F0v5hQk2tIZIHjU9l3LdfX8q-SRUDsLimiHbzwWFoAwM71nSQ/w279-h400/Using%20Carbon%20offsets%2001.jpg" width="279" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8DnNmOzFU4H9X9JmPpbfQYyJQA6mnZu-In_CHSpW5N2BJut6WKUt7DmSjV43Ul444EttIfQWOKCtpyd2zuz2l5-Sz07051Nn06nn_tBBe2Pwda9via7_8GYPhKb8nCZARg-Nqhu3b8SZJT_EPk8fRqW8mYFaRwV0ni_BX_vDaUD6fyIICZs1tSPVSgg/s736/Verra%20not%20real%2001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8DnNmOzFU4H9X9JmPpbfQYyJQA6mnZu-In_CHSpW5N2BJut6WKUt7DmSjV43Ul444EttIfQWOKCtpyd2zuz2l5-Sz07051Nn06nn_tBBe2Pwda9via7_8GYPhKb8nCZARg-Nqhu3b8SZJT_EPk8fRqW8mYFaRwV0ni_BX_vDaUD6fyIICZs1tSPVSgg/w271-h400/Verra%20not%20real%2001.jpg" width="271" /> </a></div>Steven J Lutzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078660681832422418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7065804176024730707.post-42337328377879999582023-01-21T04:25:00.001-05:002023-03-13T06:29:22.847-04:00The Carbon Con<i>The world’s biggest companies, from Netflix to Ben & Jerry’s, are
pouring billions into an offsetting industry whose climate claims appear
increasingly at odds with reality</i><p>source-material.org / 18 January 2023 / <a href="https://www.source-material.org/vercompanies-carbon-offsetting-claims-inflated-methodologies-flawed/">The Carbon Con</a><br /></p><p>Addional information supporting the January <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jan/18/revealed-forest-carbon-offsets-biggest-provider-worthless-verra-aoe">The Guardian Verra carbon fraud article</a>.</p>Steven J Lutzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078660681832422418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7065804176024730707.post-27913937975270828782023-01-01T02:54:00.006-05:002023-03-15T04:43:04.174-04:00Revamping the Blue Cabron Blog<p>A little housekeeping; from January 2023 on, the Blue Carbon Blog will be experiencing new life, with a focus on coastal and oceanic blue carbon, the carbon market, benefit sharing, community justice and more.<br /></p><p><span class="st"> The Blue Carbon Blog is supported by Blue Climate
Solutions (BCS), a project of The Ocean Foundation. </span></p><p>As part of BCS' co-finance to the UNEP/GEF Blue Forests Project, please expect articles to be archived and backdated from the <a href="https://news.gefblueforests.org/">Blue Forests Project News/Blog</a> (label = 'Blue Forests Proejct') and other sources.<br /></p><p>- Steven Lutz, Blue Carbon Blog, Blue Climate Solutions<br /></p>Steven J Lutzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078660681832422418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7065804176024730707.post-69431913412231861182022-11-04T04:33:00.008-04:002023-03-15T04:40:46.160-04:00 Oceans & Blue Carbon at COP27 <p>[Origin article: The Blue Forests Project / 4 Nov 2022 / <a href="https://gefblueforests.exposure.co/oceans-blue-carbon-at-cop27">Oceans & Blue Carbon at COP27</a>]<br /></p><div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3337004"><p>This
"live blog" features oceans, blue forests, and coastal and oceanic blue
carbon related side events and discussions at UNFCCC COP27 (6 - 18
Nov). This post will be updated throughout the COP.</p><p>For any suggested updates or edits please email: steven.lutz (@) grida.no</p><p>(Last update 9 Nov, Version 5)</p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3337008"><p><b>COP 27 side events schedule</b></p><p>Link: https://seors.unfccc.int/applications/seors/reports/events_list.html</p><p><b>IISD's Earth Negotiations Bulletin coverage of the Sharm El-Sheikh Climate Change Conference COP 27</b></p><p>Link: <a href="https://enb.iisd.org/sharm-el-sheikh-climate-change-conference-cop27" target="_blank">https://enb.iisd.org/sharm-el-sheikh-climate-change-conference-cop27</a></p><p><b>COP27 Virtual Ocean Pavilion</b></p><p><b>Link: </b><a href="https://cop27oceanpavilion.vfairs.com/" target="_blank">https://cop27oceanpavilion.vfairs.com/</a> (registration needed)</p><p><b>UNESCO's IOC at the Climate COP27</b></p><p>Link: <a href="https://ioc.unesco.org/news/join-unescos-ioc-climate-cop27-sharm-el-sheikh" target="_blank">https://ioc.unesco.org/news/join-unescos-ioc-climate-cop27-sharm-el-sheikh</a></p><p><b>International Partnership for Blue Carbon calendar of blue carbon events</b></p><p>Link: <a href="https://bluecarbonpartnership.org/events/" target="_blank">https://bluecarbonpartnership.org/events/</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3340912"><p><b>IMF & Bahamas meeting on the sidelines of COP27</b></p><p><a href="https://thenassauguardian.com/pm-very-encouraged-by-imf-directors-support-of-bahamas/" target="_blank">Nassau Guardian article: PM ‘very encouraged’ by IMF director’s support of Bahamas</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3337622"><p><b>Global Mangroves into 2030/2050 – Ramsar COP14</b></p><p>2:15 - 13:15 EET, Plenary C</p><p><a href="https://contacts.ramsar.org/participant/sideevent/details/50978" target="_blank">Website link Global Mangroves into 2030/2050 – Ramsar COP14</a></p><p>Lead
organization: Mangrove Foundation (MCF), China (lead), National
Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA), P.R.C., United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP), International Union for Conservation of
Nature (IUCN), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Wetlands International
(WI), SEE Conservation, Vanke Foundation</p><p>This side event will
review the progress and challenges on global mangrove conservation,
promote consensus among stakeholders in protecting mangrove and blue
carbon, and mobilize science-based innovation and synchronized actions
in the next decade, under the vision 2050 on biodiversity. It also calls
for all parties to support development of international mangrove
protection and collaboration mechanism, as well as facilitate the
establishment of International Mangrove Center.</p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3337661"><p><b>Ocean Future Lab</b></p><p>8:30 am - 10:00 am EET, Nature Pavillion, Blue Zone </p><p>Organisers:
High-Level Champions, GCA Ocean & Coastal Zones & partners of
Ocean Action Events, Ocean & Climate Platform, Bloomberg
Philanthropies</p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3337662"><p><b>Ocean-based mitigation and adaptation</b></p><p>9:00 am - 10:00 am EET, Ocean Pavilion, Blue Zone</p><p>Organisers: The Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation</p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3337682"><p><b>Blue Carbon in Blue Economy Development and Achievement of Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets</b></p><p>10:00 - 11:20 am, Indonesia Pavilion, D2</p><p>Organisers: Indonesia</p><p>Streamed here: <a href="https://youtu.be/bdZYbQnOOOE?t=4197" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/bdZYbQnOOOE?t=4197</a> (timestamped to event)</p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3337712"><p><b>Carbon Removal using Coastal Blue Carbon Ecosystems </b></p><p>10:30 - 11:30 am EET, Atoms4 Climate Pavilion</p><p>Organisers: IAEA</p><p>IAEA
is investigating the potential of vegetated coastal ecosystems as a
natural climate solution to increase carbon dioxide draw-down from
atmosphere and long-term storage in sediments.</p><p>This roundtable
shall discuss the effectiveness of this nature-based solution for carbon
sequestration and the potential of these ecosystems to preserve
biodiversity.</p><p>Streamed here: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvCTUMvc8LA" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvCTUMvc8LA</a></p><p><a href="https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/iaea-cop27-event-focuses-on-blue-carbon-as-a-nature-based-climate-solution" target="_blank">IAEA News article: IAEA COP27 Event Focuses on Blue Carbon as a Nature-Based Climate Solution</a></p><p><br /></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3337668"><p><b>Global Leadership on Blue Carbon: Keys to Success</b></p><p>11:00 am - 12:00 pm EET, Nature Pavillion, Blue Zone</p><p>Organisers:
Conservation International, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic
Commission of UNESCO and the International Union for Conservation of
Nature.</p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3337777"><p><b>Building resilience in blue carbon ecosystems for coastal communities</b></p><p>1:00 pm - 1:55 pm AEDT, Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion, Blue Zone </p><p>Organisers: The Commonwealth Blue Charter</p><p><a href="https://production-new-commonwealth-files.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/2022-10/D19050%20V2_EYSD%20Blue%20Carbon%20Event%20Flyer%20H%20E%20Edu.pdf?VersionId=jfVqvIgImjuBS3WOeGf.MDKfM6qcLxqO" target="_blank">Flyer Building resilience in blue carbon ecosystems for coastal communities</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3337672"><p><b>Innovative, Sustainable Finance</b></p><p>1:00 pm - 2:00 pm EET, Nature Pavillion, Blue Zone</p><p>Organisers: The Nature Conservancy</p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3340395"><p><b>Bahamas national statement to COP27</b></p><p>13:00 EET, High-Level Segment</p><p>Philip
Davis, Prime Minister of Bahamas delivers his national statement during
the High-Level Segment for Heads of State and Government summit on the
third day of the COP27 UN Climate Change Conference.</p><p><a href="https://znsbahamas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/COP-27-National-Statement-Prime-Minister-of-The-Bahamas-8-Nov-2022.pdf" target="_blank">Transcript of Bahamian statement to COP27</a></p><p><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-09/transcript-zero-episode-11-the-bahamas-wants-money-to-protect-its-oceans?leadSource=uverify%20wall" target="_blank">Bloomberg transcript and audio recording of interview with PM Davis' COP27 on his statement</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3337673"><p><b>Ocean Knowledge for Climate Resilience</b></p><p>14:30 - 15:30 EET, Bellona Pavilion</p><p><a href="https://unesco.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=75c69bf185fb2be069850f6ee&id=b63c42bae7&e=aaa32ba405" target="_blank">Flyer Ocean Knowledge for Climate Resilience</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3337060"><p><b>Connectivity and collaboration as tools for ocean-climate action in the Eastern Tropical Pacific</b></p><p>6:00 pm - 8:00 pm EET, Nature Pavillion, Blue Zone </p><p>Organisers: The Pew Charitable Trusts</p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3337805"><p><b>Whose Ocean Is It Anyway? Why Ocean Heritage Matters for Climate Change Mitigation</b></p><p>09:00 - 10:30 am EET, Virtual Ocean Pavilion</p><p>Organizers:
Ocean Decade Heritage Network, Cultural Heritage Framework Programme
(CHFP), and Edinburgh Marine Archaeology (University of Edinburgh)</p><p><a href="https://cop27oceanpavilion.vfairs.com/" target="_blank">Streaming at the Virtual Ocean Pavilion</a> (registration needed)</p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3337737"><p><b>Clearing the Blue Carbon Highway: Governance, Benefit Sharing and Rights</b></p><p>1:30 pm - 3:00 pm EET, Ocean Pavilion, Blue Zone </p><p>Organisers: Blue Marine Foundation</p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3337822"><p><b>Seagrass - the new frontier in blue carbon credits?</b></p><p>11:00 - 12:30 EET, Virtual Ocean Pavilion</p><p>Organizers: Fauna & Flora International in collaboration with Akdeniz Koruma Dernegi, Blue Ventures, Project Seagrass</p><p><a href="https://cop27oceanpavilion.vfairs.com/" target="_blank">Streaming at the Virtual Ocean Pavilion</a> (registration needed)</p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3337735"><p><b>Communicating Ocean Science for Climate Action </b></p><p>15:45 - 16:45 EET, UNESCO Pavilion </p><p>Organisers: IOC-UNESCO</p><p><a href="https://unesco.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=75c69bf185fb2be069850f6ee&id=9baa0e5fca&e=aaa32ba405" target="_blank">Flyer Communicating Ocean Science for Climate Action</a> (register to watch the livestream)</p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3337093"><p><b>International finance opportunities: Gaps and needs for ocean-based climate action towards implementing SDG14.3</b></p><p>16:00 - 17:00 EET, Pacific Pavilion </p><p>Organisers: IOC-UNESCO</p><p><a href="https://unesco.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=75c69bf185fb2be069850f6ee&id=01c8794547&e=aaa32ba405" target="_blank">Flyer International finance opportunities: Gaps and needs for ocean-based climate action towards implementing SDG14.3</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3337829"><p><b>Harnessing Finance for Addressing Climate-Ocean Change</b></p><p>14:00 - 15:00 EET, Virtual Ocean Pavilion</p><p>Organizers: International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification, the Global Fund for Coral Reefs</p><p><a href="https://cop27oceanpavilion.vfairs.com/" target="_blank">Streaming at the Virtual Ocean Pavilion</a> (registration needed)</p></div>
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<h2 class="type-theme-heading h1 lg-h0 caps letter-spacing-reset md-letter-spacing-1 lg-mb3 sm-mb2 mb1 mt0 clearfix" data-field-name="title" data-placeholder="Group Title (Optional)">Thursday, 10 November
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3337995"><p><b>Fishing for climate resilience: Unlocking the collective potential of vulnerable, coastal communities for climate action </b></p><p>9:00 am EET</p><p>Organisers: Rare, GLISPA</p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3337997"><p><b>Coastal Wetlands in National and Sub-national Climate Strategies: Nature-Based Solutions in Practice</b></p><p>9:00 am - 10:00 am AEDT, Nature Pavillion, Blue Zone</p><p>Organisers/Moderators – Pew Charitable Trusts</p><p>Theme:
Moderated panel sharing key learnings from countries and US states at
various stages of implementing current, and developing future, targets
for their coastal “blue carbon” habitats – mangrove, seagrass and
saltmarsh – as nature-based solutions within national and subnational
climate strategies.</p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3337999"><p><b>Towards an innovative integrated transformative action to tackle climate change</b></p><p>11:00 - 12:00 am EET, Mediterranean Pavilion</p><p>Oganisers: EMEA</p><p><a href="https://euromed-economists.org/event/emea-at-cop27-towards-an-innovative-integrated-transformative-action-to-tackle-climate-change/" target="_blank">Event link Towards an innovative integrated transformative action to tackle climate change</a></p><p>The
event presents the latest science- based innovative initiatives that
are exploring how to align most recent pioneering scientific knowledge,
research with sustainability to tackle decisively climate change
challenges. The event is organised by EMEA and gathers founders from
Minderoo Foundation , Rebalance Earth, IMF research on Nature Based
Solutions, Brain Capital Alliance, the Blue Green World, and Switchmed
to accelerate sustainability, that tackles climate change challenges
from a trans-disciplinary perspective, linking economy, biodiversity,
neuroscience, urban planning and finance.</p><p><i>Topic 1: Towards a
new paradigm of “Nature Capital” – Nature based solutions embedded in
the capacity of wild species to sequester carbon dioxide and new pricing
models. </i>Panelist: Ralph Chami (IMF)</p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3338001"><p><b>The Mangrove Breakthrough Launch </b></p><p>10:30 am - 11:00 am EET</p><p>Organisers: Global Mangrove Alliance (GMA) and the High-Level Champions</p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3337100"><p><b>Blue carbon: establishing policy and enhancing implementation based on science</b></p><p>4:30 pm - 6:30 pm EET, Korea Pavilion, Blue Zone </p><p>Organisers: Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea, KOEM, Kunsan National University</p></div>
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<h2 class="type-theme-heading h1 lg-h0 caps letter-spacing-reset md-letter-spacing-1 lg-mb3 sm-mb2 mb1 mt0 clearfix" data-field-name="title" data-placeholder="Group Title (Optional)">Friday, 11 November
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3341055"><p><b>Fish are Carbon Engineers</b></p><p>8 - 9 am EET, Ocean Pavilion</p><p>Organisers: Our Fish</p><p>Fish,
like whales and plankton, are keystones of the ocean’s biological pump,
the system constantly at work capturing and storing excess carbon from
the atmosphere. Fisheries Management can help to conserve that system
and in turn combat climate change. The Ocean & Climate Change
Dialogue 2022 made clear that we must protect our ocean AND value its
potential as a place for sustainable climate solutions and action. The
UNFCCC must now acknowledge and mainstream good fisheries management as
good carbon management. </p><p>Representatives from civil society,
government and the scientific community will discuss the evidence in
support of fisheries management as carbon management and what
opportunities exist for maximising this to deliver on climate action
commitments.</p><p><a href="https://our.fish/news/cop27-side-event-fish-are-carbon-engineers/" target="_blank">Event link (video will be avaliable here)</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3338005"><p><b>Ocean acidification, climate and society - mitigation and adaptation opportunities and challenges towards addressing SDG14.3</b></p><p>09:00-10:00 am EET, IAEA Pavilion</p><p>Organisers: IOC-UNESCO</p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3338033"><p><b>Ocean x Climate Summit</b></p><p>10:00 am - 5:00 pm (all day summit) Park Regency in Sharm El-Sheikh (10 minutes from the Blue Zone)</p><p><a href="https://oceanic.global/projects/cop-27-the-ocean-x-climate-summit/" target="_blank">Website Ocean x Climate Summit </a>(registration required)</p><p>Agenda includes:</p><p>10:30
AM - Blue Horizons: Promise & Potential for the Future of Our Ocean
- Scientific discovery, ocean exploration, and technological innovation
all demonstrate how the ocean is our greatest ally in addressing
climate change.</p><p>4:10 PM - The value of a living ocean to our
health and economic well being - Keynote: Ralph Chami Assistant
Director, The International Monetary Fund; Co-Founder, Rebalance Earth</p><p>4:30
PM - The Future of Blue Carbon - Blue Carbon is a key topic at this
COP. This discussion will pull together the main issues and provide
clarity on what needs to be done to unlock the potential of Blue Carbon.</p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3338008"><p><b>Blue carbon: the ocean's role in fighting climate change</b></p><p>15:00 - 16:00 pm EET, Ocean Pavillion</p><p>Organized by: National Oceanography Centre</p><p>There
is no climate solution without the ocean, and research will help us to
continue to understand and harness the ocean’s unique contribution. The
term “blue carbon” may be used holistically to refer to the uptake and
storage of carbon dioxide in marine systems by physical, chemical and
biological ocean processes - from the coast to the deep ocean. Blue
carbon approaches to climate change mitigation and adaptation are being
discussed more and more by policy-makers and this event aims to ensure
that policy is driven by science, delivering the climate change impacts
we all need.</p><p>GOOS Panelists: Anya Waite (CEO at OFI, GOOS Co-Chair)</p></div>
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<h2 class="type-theme-heading h1 lg-h0 caps letter-spacing-reset md-letter-spacing-1 lg-mb3 sm-mb2 mb1 mt0 clearfix" data-field-name="title" data-placeholder="Group Title (Optional)">Saturday, 12 November
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3337110"><p><b>Mangrove Blue Carbon Market Opportunities</b></p><p>9:00 am - 10:00 am EET, Savoy Sharm El Sheikh</p><p>Organisers: Global Landscape Forum</p><p><b>Ocean change: Adaptation and mitigation opportunities and challenges</b></p><p>10:30 am EET, Ocean Pavilion, Blue Zone</p><p>Organisers: IOC-UNESCO</p><p>This
side event will provide a platform to explore the opportunities &
challenges for nations and stakeholders related to observing and
understanding ocean change; local & regional adaptation mechanisms
to a rapidly changing ocean; including the conservation and restoration
of carbon rich ecosystems, the safe implementation of ocean carbon
dioxide removal technologies; and climate smart ocean management for
supporting sustainable development and protecting ocean life and those
that depend on it.</p></div>
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<h2 class="type-theme-heading h1 lg-h0 caps letter-spacing-reset md-letter-spacing-1 lg-mb3 sm-mb2 mb1 mt0 clearfix" data-field-name="title" data-placeholder="Group Title (Optional)">Monday, 14 November
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3337128"><p><b>Setting global nature-based solutions standards</b></p><p>9:00 am - 10:00 am EET, Nature Pavillion, Blue Zone</p><p>Organisers: Australia, The Pew Charitable Trusts</p><p><b>World Mangrove Center: Integrated and Sustainable Mangrove Management Towards Indonesia's FOLU Net Sink 2030</b></p><p>11:30 - 12:50, Indonesia Pavillion, A8</p><p>Organisers: Indonesia</p><p>Streamed here: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEI1hTX_ve4" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEI1hTX_ve4</a></p><p><b>International Blue Carbon Institute Launch</b></p><p>4:00 pm - 7:00 pm EET, Singapore Pavilion</p><p>The
International Blue Carbon Institute will accelerate and scale blue
carbon implementation in Asia and beyond though science, training, and
development of essential technical capacity, methodologies, and tools.</p><p><a href="https://bluecarbonpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Invitation_International-Blue-Carbon-Institute-Launch.pdf" target="_blank">Invitation International Blue Carbon Institute Launch</a></p></div>
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<h2 class="type-theme-heading h1 lg-h0 caps letter-spacing-reset md-letter-spacing-1 lg-mb3 sm-mb2 mb1 mt0 clearfix" data-field-name="title" data-placeholder="Group Title (Optional)">Tuesday, 15 November
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3337136"><p><b>Ocean-Based Climate Solutions: Enabling Frameworks for Action</b></p><p>12:30 - 1:30 PM EET, Climate Education Hub, Blue Zone</p><p>Organisers: Ocean Visions</p><p><a href="https://oceanvisions.org/cop27/?mc_cid=647a3f6c83&mc_eid=bb856b72cd" target="_blank">Website Ocean Visions at COP27</a></p><p>Watch live here: <a href="http://earthday.org/climateeducationhub" target="_blank">earthday.org/climateeducationhub</a></p><p><b>Partnerships to accelerate action to protect blue carbon ecosystems for mitigation and adaptation</b></p><p>1:15 pm - 2:45 pm EET, Thutmose Room, Blue Zone</p><p>Organisers:
Australia and IOC-UNESCO on behalf of the International Partnership for
Blue Carbon (IPBC), The Pew Charitable Trusts</p><p><b>Jointly combating the Climate and Biodiversity crises: the critical role of Nature-based Solutions</b></p><p>1:45 pm - 2:45 pm EET, Thebes Room, Blue Zone </p><p>Organisers: IUCN, World Resources Institute</p><p><b>Ocean-Climate-Society: challenges & opportunities for ocean mitigation, adaptation, finance & UNFCCC</b></p><p>4:45 pm - 6:15 pm EET, Memphis Room, Blue Zone</p><p>Organisers:
Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Blue Marine Foundation, European Bureau for
Conservation and Development (EBCD), Rare, University of Strathclyde</p></div>
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<h2 class="type-theme-heading h1 lg-h0 caps letter-spacing-reset md-letter-spacing-1 lg-mb3 sm-mb2 mb1 mt0 clearfix" data-field-name="title" data-placeholder="Group Title (Optional)">Wednesday, 16 November
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_3337196"><p>Blue Climate Solutions: Considering the Ocean’s Role in Our Path to Net Negative Emissions</p><p>9:30 - 11:00 AM, Ocean Pavilion</p><p>Organisers: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI)</p><p>Every
path to a sustainable climate future must pass through the ocean. We
will discuss the scientific basis for ocean-based carbon dioxide removal
(CDR) approaches to complement deep emissions reductions, as well as
the research agenda, governance structure, investment needs, and ethical
framework necessary to ensure a sustainable climate future for all.</p></div>
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<div class="post-footnotes story-rhythm center w-700 mx-auto py2 sm-py0 line-height-reset content">
<div><b class="type-theme-heading md-h4 h5 block invert">Footnotes</b>
<span class="serif type-theme-body italic md-h4 h5 footnote-body font-body-color">
Cover photo: Ricardo Liberato, Wikipedia
</span>
</div>
</div>Steven J Lutzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078660681832422418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7065804176024730707.post-53828807061907666022022-01-31T04:51:00.001-05:002023-03-20T05:57:50.897-04:00Ethical carbon offsetting has a role to play in tackling the climate crisis<p>A response to Monbiot's 26 January article <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jan/26/carbon-offsetting-environmental-collapse-carbon-land-grab">Carbon offsetting is not warding off environmental collapse – it’s accelerating it</a> - <br /></p><p>The Guardian / 31 Jan 2022 / <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jan/31/ethical-carbon-offsetting-has-a-role-to-play-in-tackling-the-climate-crisis">Ethical carbon offsetting has a role to play in tackling the climate crisis</a><br /></p><p><i>Prof Mark Huxham and Mukti Kumar Mitchell on concerns about the viability of carbon offsets in response to an article by George Monbiot. Plus Barbara Foster and MSR Seshu on the climate implications of flights</i></p><p class="dcr-94xsh" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">George Monbiot makes important points about the role of nature-based solutions (<a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jan/26/carbon-offsetting-environmental-collapse-carbon-land-grab" title="">Carbon offsetting is not warding off environmental collapse – it’s accelerating it, 26 January</a>).
We need to preserve our natural forests, mangroves, sea grasses and
peatlands to slow current heating levels, and we need to restore and
expand them to deal with our legacy carbon. But in suggesting that all
offsetting is simply greenwashing, he does a disservice to the hundreds
of community-based projects that are working to improve lives and
conserve natural carbon sinks.</p><p class="dcr-94xsh" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">The <a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://aces-org.co.uk/" title="">Association for Coastal Ecosystem Services</a>
helps people in Kenya protect their mangrove forests and use money from
the sale of carbon credits for water, education and health. The
forests, the money and the projects belong to them. We do not take money
from fossil-fuel companies, but rather from individuals and small
corporations that are committed to reducing emissions but still want to
compensate for those that they cannot avoid.</p><div id="sign-in-gate" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"></div><p class="dcr-94xsh" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">This
is ethical offsetting and it has an important role to play. Please
don’t confuse this with the corporate greenwashing of big oil.<strong> </strong></p><p class="dcr-94xsh" style="text-align: right;"><strong>Prof Mark Huxham</strong><br /><em>Conven</em><em>er, Association for Coastal Ecosystem Services</em></p><p class="dcr-94xsh" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span data-dcr-style="bullet"></span>
In pointing out the misuse of carbon offsetting by multinationals,
George Monbiot only shows one side of the coin. In my 25 years of
working to save CO<sub>2</sub>, I avoided offsets for two reasons:
failed offsets, such as forests dying, and future offsets, eg claiming
that a flight to New York today is offset by planting trees that take 50
years to absorb the same amount of CO<sub>2</sub>. But we need a way to fund the drawdown of excess CO<sub>2</sub>
in the atmosphere (estimated at up to a trillion tonnes). To do this,
carbon sequestration activities need a rapid injection of cash, which
offsetting can provide. Certification has dealt with offset failures and
there are now genuine time-bound offsets available that only count CO<sub>2</sub> absorbed in, say, the current year.</p><p class="dcr-94xsh" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">Whether
they pay to replace wood stoves with solar stoves in Africa or to
finance British farmers to adopt low-carbon practices, offsets are
essential to reach net zero. The question is not whether offsets are
good or bad, but which ones are good.<strong> </strong></p><p class="dcr-94xsh" style="text-align: right;"><strong>Mukti Kumar Mitchell</strong><br /><em>Director, Carbon Savvy</em></p><p class="dcr-94xsh" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span data-dcr-style="bullet"></span>
For some time I have felt that there was something amiss about flying
off to some distant land for a holiday and salving one’s conscience by
paying a carbon offsetting charge. Thank you, George Monbiot, for making
it clear why the climate catastrophe will not be solved this way.
Planting a few more trees with one hand while destroying forests or
drilling for more oil with the other does not pass muster. Those of us
of mature years who have created the problem should be first to try to
limit our carbon footprints.<strong> </strong></p><p class="dcr-94xsh" style="text-align: right;"><strong>Barbara Foster</strong><br /><em>Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire</em></p><p class="dcr-94xsh" style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span data-dcr-style="bullet"></span> Your report (<a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jan/26/airlines-flying-near-empty-ghost-flights-to-retain-eu-airport-slots" title="">26 January</a>)
that at least 100,000 ghost flights could be flown across Europe this
winter makes for highly disturbing reading. The consequential impact on
the climate through the flights’ release of an estimated 2.1m tonnes of
greenhouse gases is mind-boggling. All this being imposed just to force
airlines to retain their slots at airports is irresponsible and inhuman.
Whatever is happening to the <a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/14/what-are-the-key-points-of-the-glasgow-climate-pact-cop26" title="">commitments</a> made by European nations at <a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/cop26-glasgow-climate-change-conference-2021" title="">Cop26</a>?<strong> </strong></p><p class="dcr-94xsh" style="text-align: right;"><strong>MSR Seshu</strong><br /><em>Secunderabad, India</em></p><p> </p>Steven J Lutzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078660681832422418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7065804176024730707.post-68638178095098374582022-01-26T04:46:00.001-05:002023-03-20T05:51:12.525-04:00Carbon offsetting is not warding off environmental collapse – it’s accelerating it<p> </p><p>Concerns over the recent dramatic increase in nature-based carbon offsetting -<br /></p><p>George Monbiot / The Guardain / 26 Jan 2022 / <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jan/26/carbon-offsetting-environmental-collapse-carbon-land-grab">Carbon offsetting is not warding off environmental collapse – it’s accelerating it</a></p><p class="dcr-94xsh"><i>Wealthy companies are using the facade of ‘nature-based solutions’ to enact a great carbon land grab</i></p><p class="dcr-94xsh">There is nothing that cannot be corrupted, nothing
good that cannot be transformed into something bad. And there is no
clearer example than the great climate land grab.</p><p class="dcr-94xsh">We
now know that it’s not enough to leave fossil fuels in the ground and
decarbonise our economies. We’ve left it too late. To prevent no more
than 1.5C of heating, we also need to draw down some of the carbon <a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10584-019-02516-4">already in the atmosphere</a>.</p><div id="sign-in-gate"></div><p class="dcr-94xsh">By far the most effective means are <a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01241-2">“nature-based solutions”</a>:
using the restoration of living systems such as forests, salt marshes,
peat bogs and the seafloor to extract carbon dioxide from the air and
lock it up, mostly in trees or waterlogged soil and mud. Three years
ago, a small group of us launched the <a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.naturalclimate.solutions/">Natural Climate Solutions campaign</a>
to draw attention to the vast potential for stalling climate breakdown
and a sixth mass extinction through the mass revival of ecosystems.</p><p class="dcr-94xsh">While it is hard to see either climate or ecological catastrophe being prevented without such <a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jun/03/rewild-on-massive-scale-to-heal-nature-and-climate-says-un-decade-on-ecosystem-restoration-aoe">large-scale rewilding</a>, we warned that it should <a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/apr/03/a-natural-solution-to-the-climate-disaster">not be used as a substitute</a>
for decarbonising economic life, or to allow corporations to offset
greenhouse gases that shouldn’t be produced in the first place. We found
ourselves having to shed a large number of partner organisations
because of their deals with offset companies.</p><p class="dcr-94xsh">But our warnings, and those of many <a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://redd-monitor.org/">others</a>,
went unheeded. Something that should be a great force for good has
turned into a corporate gold rush, trading in carbon credits. A carbon
credit represents one tonne of greenhouse gases, deemed to have been
avoided or removed from the atmosphere. Over the past few months, <a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.ecosystemmarketplace.com/articles/press-release-voluntary-carbon-markets-rocket-in-2021-on-track-to-break-1b-for-first-time/">the market for these credits has boomed</a>.</p><p class="dcr-94xsh">There are two legitimate uses of nature-based
solutions: removing historic carbon from the air, and counteracting a
small residue of unavoidable emissions once we have decarbonised the
rest of the economy. Instead, they are being widely used as an
alternative for effective action. Rather than committing to leave fossil
fuels in the ground, oil and gas firms continue to prospect for new
reserves while claiming that the credits they buy have turned them
“carbon neutral”.</p><p class="dcr-94xsh">For example, Shell’s <a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.shell.co.uk/business-customers/shell-fuel-card/fuelcardco2.html">Drive Carbon Neutral </a>scheme
tells businesses that by buying fuel on its loyalty card, the
“unavoidable” emissions from their fleets of vehicles can be offset
“through Shell’s global portfolio of nature-based solutions projects”.
It assures customers that, by joining the programme, “you don’t even
have to change the way you work”. Similar claims by Shell in the
Netherlands were struck down by the country’s <a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.reclamecode.nl/uitspraken/resultaten/vervoer-2021-00190/304997/">advertising watchdog</a>.</p><p class="dcr-94xsh">The
French company Total is hoping to develop new oilfields in the Republic
of the Congo and off the coast of Suriname. It has sought to justify
these projects with nature-based solutions: in Suriname by <a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.banktrack.org/blog/total_s_deal_with_suriname_the_greenwashing_of_oil_block_58">providing money to the government</a> for protecting existing forests, and in Congo by <a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://totalenergies.com/media/news/press-releases/total-and-frm-to-plant-forest-in-congo">planting</a> an area of savannah with fast-growing trees.</p><p class="dcr-94xsh">This
project is extremely controversial. If the drilling goes ahead it will
help to break open a region of extremely rich forests and wetlands <a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/forests/what-lies-beneath/">that sits on top of the biggest peat deposit in the tropics</a>,
potentially threatening a huge natural carbon store. The rare savannah
habitat the company wants to convert into plantations to produce timber
and biomass has <a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/btp.12606">scarcely been explored by ecologists</a>. It’s likely to harbour a far greater range of life than the exotic trees the oil company wants to plant. It is also <a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://redd-monitor.org/2021/04/16/anatomy-of-a-nature-based-solution-total-oil-40000-hectares-of-disappearing-african-savannah-emmanuel-macron-norwegian-and-french-aid-to-an-election-rigging-dictator-trees/">likely to belong to local people</a> though their customary rights, which are unrecognised in Congolese law, were not mentioned in Total’s <a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://totalenergies.com/media/news/press-releases/total-and-frm-to-plant-forest-in-congo">press release</a>
about the deal. In other words, the offset project, far from
compensating for the damage caused by oil drilling, could compound it.</p><p class="dcr-94xsh">These are not the only issues. In all such cases,
an extremely stable bank of carbon – the fossil fuels buried below
geological strata – is being swapped for less secure stores: habitats on
the Earth’s surface. Last year, forests being used as corporate offsets
<a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://gizmodo.com/western-wildfires-are-sending-carbon-offsets-up-in-smok-1847370861">were incinerated</a>
by the wildfires raging across North America. It’s also hard in some
cases to prove that offset money has made a real difference. For
example, two of Shell’s projects<a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2021/10/25/shell-oil-carbon-neutral-offsetting/"> have been criticised</a>
on the grounds that the forests they claim to defend may not be at
risk. These schemes often rely on untestable counterfactuals: what would
have happened if this money had not been spent?</p><p class="dcr-94xsh">While
there are international standards for how carbon should be counted,
there is no accounting for the moral hazard of carbon offsets: the false
assurance that persuades us we need not change the way we live. There
is no accounting for the way companies use these projects to justify
business as usual. There is no accounting for how they use this
greenwashing to persuade governments not to regulate them. Nature-based
solutions should help us to avoid systemic environmental collapse.
Instead, they are helping to accelerate it.</p><p class="dcr-94xsh">And then there’s a small issue of land. There is simply not enough land on Earth to soak up corporate greenhouse gas emissions. <a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://reliefweb.int/report/world/tightening-net-net-zero-climate-targets-implications-land-and-food-equity">Oxfam estimates</a>
that the land required to meet carbon removal plans by businesses could
amount to five times the size of India – more than the entire area of
farmland on the planet. And much of it rightfully belongs to indigenous
and other local people, who in many cases have not given their consent.
This process has a name: <a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0743016714000692">carbon colonialism</a>.</p><p class="dcr-94xsh">During
the Cop26 climate summit in November last year, the government of the
Malaysian state of Sabah announced a carbon credits deal with foreign
corporations covering an astonishing 2m hectares (5m acres) of forest. <a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://news.mongabay.com/2021/12/is-colonial-history-repeating-itself-with-sabah-forest-carbon-deals-big-reveal-commentary/">Indigenous people say they knew nothing about it</a>.</p><p class="dcr-94xsh">In Scotland, Shell is spending £5m<a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.shell.com/inside-energy/scotland-highland-forests-rewilding.html"> extending the Glengarry forest</a>. While Scotland needs more trees, it also needs a much better distribution of land. As big corporations and financiers <a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/oureconomy/scotland-is-on-the-global-frontlines-of-the-great-net-zero-land-grab/">pile into this market</a>, land prices are <a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.savills.co.uk/research_articles/229130/309956-0">rising</a> so fast that local people, some of whom would like to run their own rewilding and reforestation projects, are being shut out.</p><p class="dcr-94xsh">A better strategy would be to spend money on strengthening the land rights of indigenous people, who<a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.pnas.org/content/117/34/20495"> tend to be the most effective guardians</a>
of ecosystems and the carbon they contain. Where communities don’t own
land, they should be funded to buy it back and restore its missing
habitats. But none of these projects should be counted against the
fossil fuels we should leave in the ground.</p><p class="dcr-94xsh">Yes,
we need to restore life on Earth. Yes, we need to draw down as much
carbon as we can. But we cannot let this crucial tool be turned against
us.</p><p class="dcr-94xsh"></p><p class="dcr-94xsh"> </p><p></p><p><br /></p>Steven J Lutzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078660681832422418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7065804176024730707.post-53075742461147811682021-10-29T03:46:00.002-04:002023-03-27T04:39:59.922-04:00 Oceans & Blue Carbon at COP26<p>[Origin article: The Blue Forests Project / 29 Oct 2021 / <a href="https://news.gefblueforests.org/oceans-blue-carbon-at-cop26">Oceans & Blue Carbon at COP26</a>]</p><div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879523"><p>This
live blog features oceans, blue forests, and coastal and oceanic blue
carbon related side events at UNFCCC COP26 (31 Oct - 12 Nov). 31 events
are listed. This post will be updated throughout the COP.</p><p>For any suggested updates or edits please email: steven.lutz (@) grida.no</p><p>(Last update 3 Nov, Version 7)</p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879524"><p><b>Side Events & Exhibits / UN Climate Change Conference November 2021 (COP 26)</b></p><p>Link: <a href="https://seors.unfccc.int/seors/reports/events_list.html" target="_blank">https://seors.unfccc.int/seors/reports/events_list.html</a></p><p><b>Virtual Ocean Pavilion</b></p><p>Link: <a href="https://cop26oceanpavilion.vfairs.com/" target="_blank">https://cop26oceanpavilion.vfairs.com/</a></p><p><b>IISD's Earth Negotiations Bulletin coverage of the Glasgow Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 26) </b></p><p>Link: <a href="https://sdg.iisd.org/events/2020-un-climate-change-conference-unfccc-cop-26/" target="_blank">https://sdg.iisd.org/events/2020-un-climate-change-conference-unfccc-cop-26/</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879526"><p><b>Launch of the 3rd Because the Ocean Declaration</b></p><p>19:30 GMT – <i>Playfair Library Hall of the University of Edinburgh - Invitation-only</i></p><p>The 3rd Because the Ocean Declaration will be launched at a high-level event on the first day of COP26.</p><p>A
plurilateral initiative in support of a multilateral ocean outcome at
COP26, the Declaration was prepared in the last seven months by a group
of Parties to the UN Convention on Climate Change.</p><p>If you wish to attend, please apply by email at: info@becausetheocean.org.</p><p>The
event will be by invitation-only. Invitations will be issued
individually, taking into account social distancing required at the time
by local authorities and the University of Edinburgh.</p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2882772"><p><b>Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation Through Coastal Ecosystems Conservation & Restoration</b></p><p>14:30-15:30 GMT – EU Pavilion</p><p>Coral
reefs, mangrove forests, and seagrass meadows are marine and coastal
ecosystems provide a multitude of benefits to society and ecology,
including climate adaptation and mitigation. The session will present
approaches to restore and conserve these ecosystems, as well as showcase
field practices, discuss adaptive capacity, knowledge sharing, and the
scaling up of restoration activities. Speakers include UN Oceans
Ambassador Peter Thomson, Head of Marine Programme for IUCN Minna Epps,
and others.</p><p>Hosts: ICRS, Blue Mangrove Fund – Friendship and GEOMAR.</p><p>Event link (scroll down): <a href="https://www.oceancouncil.org/cop-26-events" target="_blank">https://www.oceancouncil.org/cop-26-events</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879528"><p><b>Policy Dialogue to Strengthen Blue Carbon’s Contribution to Carbon Neutrality</b></p><p>13:00 - 15:00 GMT – <i>Korean Pavilion</i></p><p>Host(s): Government of the Republic of Korea, KOEM, Government of Indonesia</p><p>This
event is co-organized by the Government of the Republic of Korea and
the Government of Indonesia and will be held in the Korean Pavilion.</p><p>Event link: <a href="https://bluecarbonpartnership.org/event/policy-dialogue-to-strengthen-blue-carbons-contribution-to-the-ndcs/" target="_blank">https://bluecarbonpartnership.org/event/policy-dialogue-to-strengthen-blue-carbons-contribution-to-the-ndcs/</a></p><p>COP26 Korean Pavilion: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCthAuDI7d31mgauW-6bjT-g" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCthAuDI7d31mgauW-6bjT-g</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2883764"><p><b>Hope comes out of the blue: Inspiring climate action from source to sea</b></p><p>10:00 - 11:00 GMT – <i>Water Pavilion</i></p><p>An
expert-led panel discussion and inspiring film, spotlighting how source
to sea management, coastal habitats and the open ocean offer humanity's
last best hopes to avert the climate crisis.</p><p>The threat of the
climate crisis is overwhelming, but there is hope. From whales and
plankton to coastal wetlands, life-giving rivers and natural ecosystems,
nature is our greatest ally in our time of need. But to fully realise
nature’s gifts in carbon capture and adapting to climate change, we need
supportive policy and financing frameworks and coordinated action from
source to sea.</p><p>The climate crisis has proven to be too complex to
be effectively confronted by the traditional approaches of isolated
responses. Our best hope is to use an holistic approach to protect and
restore land, freshwater, coastal and ocean ecosystems that capture
greenhouse gases and increase resilience.</p><p>This event aims to
highlight the benefits that source-to-sea management holds for climate
mitigation and adaptation and will showcase how 'blue carbon', from
coastal habitats to the deep sea, gives us hope in mitigating the threat
of climate breakdown. It will leave you with clear steps to take to
realise the full potential of nature based solutions to the climate
crisis from source to sea.</p><p>Program:</p><ul><li>Opening Remarks by Ruth Mathews, Senior Manager SIWI and Coordinator of the Action Platform for Source-to-Sea Management</li><li>Welcome Message by Peter Thomson, UNSG Special Envoy for the Ocean</li><li>Moderated Panel Discussion</li><li class="ql-indent-1">Moderator Ruth Mathews</li><li class="ql-indent-1">Panellists:</li><li class="ql-indent-1">Henk Ovink, Special Envoy for International Water, Kingdom of the Netherlands</li><li class="ql-indent-1">Rachel Dunk, Principal Lecturer, Manchester Metropolitan University</li><li class="ql-indent-1">Ralph Chami, Assistant Director of the International Monetary Fund</li><li>Closing remarks</li></ul><p><b>Convenors - </b>Action Platform for Source-to-Sea
Management (S2S Platform), SIWI, UNDP, Kingdom of the Netherlands,
Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, Marine Conservation Society, Whale and
Dolphin Conservation.</p><p><b>Video of event: </b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4KqN5BUrSg" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4KqN5BUrSg</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879530"><p><b>Investing in Wetlands: A new trend in smart climate financing?</b></p><p>10:00 - 12:00 GMT – <i>Republic of Korea Pavilion</i></p><p>Description: Hybrid event</p><p>This event is co-organized by the Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands.</p><p>Event link: <a href="https://bluecarbonpartnership.org/event/investing-in-wetlands-a-new-trend-in-smart-climate-financing/" target="_blank">https://bluecarbonpartnership.org/event/investing-in-wetlands-a-new-trend-in-smart-climate-financing/</a></p><p>COP26 Korean Pavilion: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCthAuDI7d31mgauW-6bjT-g" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCthAuDI7d31mgauW-6bjT-g</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2883776"><p><b>Blue Carbon in NDCs - Case Studies in Ambition</b></p><p>11:00 - 12:00 GMT – <i>NDC Partnership COP26 Pavilion, Bldg D, Hall 4</i></p><p>Speakers:</p><ul><li>Tom Hickey, Pew Charitable Trusts</li><li>Tom Dillion, Senior VP, Pew Charitable Trusts</li></ul><p>Ministerial panel, introduced by Tom Hickey:</p><ul><li>Minister Andre Perez, Belize</li><li>Minister Cynthia Barzuna, Costa Rica</li><li>Minister Naadir Hassan, Seychelles</li><li>Pablo Viera, Director – NDCP Partnership</li></ul><p><b>Video of event: </b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ndcpartnership/videos/178259651092225/" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/ndcpartnership/videos/178259651092225/</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879596"><p><b>Let’s
start the ocean data revolution in the Nordics! - Building partnerships
for integrated nature-based solutions to climate change</b></p><p>14:00 - 15:00 GMT – <i>SEC Centre, Hall 4, Exhibition Way, Glasgow, G3 8YW</i></p><p>Organizer: Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS) / Co-organizers: Accenture (Sweden)</p><p>Blue
Carbon is instrumental to meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement.
Directing the required projects and investments in the Blue Economy
requires data, expertise and cross-sectoral partnerships. Solutions in
the Nordic region have the potential to catalyze transferable,
actionable partnerships for the benefit of the world’s blue ecosystems.</p><p>Moderator: Richard Sanders, Director, ICOS Ocean Thematic Center (Norway)</p><p>Speakers:</p><ul><li>Lovisa Bergman, Accenture (Sweden)</li><li>Kikki Flesche Kleiven, Director, Bjerknes Center (Norway)</li><li>Dorothee Bakker, University of East Anglia (UK)</li></ul><p>Organizer: Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS)</p><p>co-organizers:</p><ul><li>Accenture (Sweden)</li><li>Bjerknes Center (Norway)</li></ul><p>Follow this event live on their COP26 streaming hub: <a href="https://www.wedonthavetime.org/event/cop26" target="_blank">https://www.wedonthavetime.org/event/cop26</a></p><p>Event link: <a href="https://www.norden.org/no/node/54675" target="_blank">https://www.norden.org/no/node/54675</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879531"><p><b>Ensuring biodiversity benefits from Nature-based Solutions (NbS)</b></p><p>15:00 - 16:15 GMT – <i>Glen Affric (Multimedia Studio 3)</i></p><p>NbS
can provide significant climate change mitigation and adaptation, but
biodiversity benefits must be ensured. This event will convene marine,
terrestrial and urban experts from multiple sectors to explore how NbS
can deliver an integrated approach to tackle the climate and
biodiversity crises.</p><p>Speakers: Speakers will include scientists
and practitioners from ZSL; Plateforme Océan et Climat; Comité 21;
Wildlife Conservation Society; Wildlife and Countryside Link; France
Ville Durable; The Pacific Community; WWF; Conservation International;
French, UK and/or Costa Rica government officials.</p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879603"><p><b>Finding Green Solutions in Blue Forests - Can kelp combat climate change?</b></p><p>15:15 - 15:45 GMT – <i>SEC Centre, Hall 4, Exhibition Way, Glasgow, G3 8YW</i></p><p>Nordic
blue forests are important natural sinks for carbon and can contribute
to reaching ambitious climate goals in the Nordic region. The event will
discuss findings from the Nordic Blue Carbon project and address the
importance of maintaining and strengthening blue forests as carbon
sinks.</p><p>Speakers: </p><ul><li>Solrun Figenschau Skjellum, Norsk Institutt for Vannforskning (NIVA), Nordic Blue Carbon project</li><li>Marianne Olsen, leader of the Nordic Council of Ministers Ocean and Climate group, Norwegian Environment Agency</li></ul><p>Organizer: NMR HavKli, Nordic Council of Ministers - Ocean and Climate group</p><p>Follow this event live on their COP26 streaming hub: <a href="https://www.wedonthavetime.org/event/cop26" target="_blank">https://www.wedonthavetime.org/event/cop26</a></p><p>Event link: <a href="https://www.norden.org/no/node/54248" target="_blank">https://www.norden.org/no/node/54248</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879532"><p><b>Ocean solutions: Coordination and collaboration for ocean-based mitigation and adaptation</b></p><p>16:45 - 18:00 GMT – <i>Derwentwater</i></p><p>This
event will showcase how action-driven trans-disciplinary science and
cross-sectoral collaboration can help stakeholders adapt to the
climate-induced challenges placed on the ocean and thus improve
sustainable development, limiting warming to 1.5 °C, enhancing NDCs, and
helping achieve Net Zero.</p><p>Speakers: J. Laverick, Youth4Ocean
Forum; J. Post, UNFCCC; F. Manoni, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat; M.
Martinez, Foreign Affairs, Chile; T. Pitta e Cunha, Oceano Azul
Foundation; P. Campostrini, CORILA, Italy; S. Soleille, BNP Paribas; M.
Leinen, Scripps Institution of Oceanography; H. Findlay, GOA-ON.</p><p>Event brochure (Why the ocean matters in climate negotiations): <a href="https://seors.unfccc.int/applications/seors/attachments/get_attachment?code=PHOR233MVJI2U2M5QAEKKPG2ASAILHQI" target="_blank">https://seors.unfccc.int/applications/seors/attachments/get_attachment?code=PHOR233MVJI2U2M5QAEKKPG2ASAILHQI</a></p><p>Event link: <a href="https://seors.unfccc.int/seors/reports/events_list.html" target="_blank">https://seors.unfccc.int/seors/reports/events_list.html</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879533"><p><b>Blue Carbon Protection in NDCs: Enhancing Ambition through Nature-Based Solutions</b></p><p>18:30 - 19:45 GMT – <i>Glen Affric (Multimedia Studio 3)</i></p><p>Moderated
Ministerial panel of countries who have included coastal wetlands
(mangroves, seagrasses and saltmarshes) protection in their updated
NDCs. Discussion on NDC development/implementation and how these efforts
can speak to other potential nature-based solutions.</p><p>Co-hosted by Pew Charitable Trusts and the Government of Seychelles.</p><p>Speakers:
Ministerial representatives from Seychelles, Belize, Costa Rica, Chile
and UK (and others – tbc), plus international experts and partners
involved in NDC development. Moderated by Pew.</p><p>Event link: <a href="https://seors.unfccc.int/seors/reports/events_list.html" target="_blank">https://seors.unfccc.int/seors/reports/events_list.html</a></p></div>
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<h2 class="type-theme-heading h1 lg-h0 caps letter-spacing-reset md-letter-spacing-1 lg-mb3 sm-mb2 mb1 mt0 clearfix" data-field-name="title" data-placeholder="Group Title (Optional)">Friday, November 5
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879535"><p><b>Using Nature-Based Solutions for Adapting to Climate Change and Building Economic Resilience Based on Blue Economy Principle</b></p><p>06:20 - 07:50 GMT – <i>Virtual (the location is being confirmed)</i></p><p>Organisers:
Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF), Wetlands
International, EDJPRL, Yapeka, Rare, Konservasi Alam Nusantara</p><p>Speakers
include: Dr. Hendra Yusran Siry, Secretary Directorate General of
Marine Spatial Management, MMAF, Sakti Wahyu Trenggono, Minister of
Marine Affairs and Fisheries Republic of Indonesia, MMAF, Dr. Pamudji
Lestari, MSc, Acting Director General of Marine Spatial Management,
MMAF, The Ambassador of Maldives to Indonesia (tbc), Jane Madgwick
(CEO, Wetlands International), Imran Amin/Muhammad Ilman (YKAN), RARE
& YAPEKA.</p><p>Event link: <a href="https://www.wetlands.org/cop26/" target="_blank">https://www.wetlands.org/cop26/</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879536"><p><b>Ocean & Adaptation, Resilience, and Mitigation</b></p><p>09:00 - 11:00 GMT – <i>Virtual Ocean Pavilion - Virtual event</i></p><p>Live
Event: Ocean & Adaptation, Resilience, and Mitigation: Creating and
implementing the enabling conditions for action through science,
capacity building, and other cross-cutting approaches.</p><p>Event link: <a href="https://cop26oceanpavilion.vfairs.com/" target="_blank">https://cop26oceanpavilion.vfairs.com/</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879537"><p><b>Roundtable discussion: The Ocean and Climate Justice: Impact, Adaptation and Mitigation</b></p><p>12:00 - 14:00 GMT – <i>The Lighthouse, Gallery 1, 11 Mitchell Lane, Glasgow G1 3NU - In-person and virtual event</i></p><p>This event is organised by the One Ocean Hub for as part of the Scottish Government COP26 event series.</p><p>Ocean
covers 70 per cent of the earth’s surface, absorbs 25% of global carbon
dioxide and produces 50% the oxygen we breathe. However, the nexus
between the ocean and climate change has been overlooked. This
roundtable discussion will highlight an important message that inclusive
ocean governance is essential to ensure that resilience and adaptation
to climate change is sustainable and just. The roundtable will explore
the impacts of climate change upon an array of internationally
guaranteed human rights such as the human right to health and in some
coastal communities, the right to self-determination and life. Given the
close relationship between climate change and the enjoyment of human
rights, this roundtable will illuminate the importance of integrating
human rights in society’s response to climate change. This roundtable
discussion will further draw attention to the challenges posed by
climate change upon indigenous peoples and small-scale fishing
communities, distribution of fish stocks, and the structure of deep-sea
ecosystems. It will provide an opportunity to discuss innovation and
adaptation strategies that can support the sustainability of the oceans
and improve communities’ resilience.</p><p>Event link: <a href="https://oneoceanhub.org/one-ocean-hubs-cop26-side-events-registration-now-open/" target="_blank">https://oneoceanhub.org/one-ocean-hubs-cop26-side-events-registration-now-open/</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879606"><p><b>Wetland/Peatland
conservation, restoration, and management - Explore the importance of
resilient wetlands for climate and biodiversity</b></p><p>16:00 - 16:50 GMT – <i>SEC Centre, Hall 4, Exhibition Way, Glasgow, G3 8YW</i></p><p>Effective
conservation, restoration and management of wetlands, including
peatlands, holds enormous potential to contribute to climate adaptation
and mitigation, and conservation of biodiversity. Here, policy makers
and experts from Scotland and Arctic states will explore the challenges
and opportunities that are emerging as we collectively seek to protect
and restore these crucial ecosystems.</p><p>Speakers:</p><ul><li>Marie McAllan, Scottish Government – Minister for Environment and Land Reform</li><li>Gustaf Hugelius, CAFF/University of Stockholm</li><li>Terhi Lehtonen, State Secretary at the Ministry for the Environment, Finland</li><li>Andrew Coupar, NatureScot – Policy and Advice Manager, Uplands and Peatlands</li></ul><p>Organizer: Scottish Government</p><p>Others involved: NatureScot, CAFF (Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna), The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency</p><p>Follow this event live on their COP26 streaming hub: <a href="https://www.wedonthavetime.org/event/cop26" target="_blank">https://www.wedonthavetime.org/event/cop26</a></p><p>Event link: <a href="https://www.norden.org/no/node/54255" target="_blank">https://www.norden.org/no/node/54255</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879538"><p><b>Ocean and Coastal Zones Event</b></p><p>(the event time is being confirmed) – <i>Hybrid (the location is being confirmed)</i></p><p>Organisers: Marrakech Partnership</p><p>Speakers include: Jane Madgwick (CEO, Wetlands International)</p><p>Event flyer: <a href="https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/Ocean%20and%20Coastal%20Zones%20Concept%20note%20MPGCA%20COP26%20version27sept.pdf" target="_blank">https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/Ocean%20and%20Coastal%20Zones%20Concept%20note%20MPGCA%20COP26%20version27sept.pdf</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879540"><p><b>Nature-based solutions to climate change: helping people, the environment, and the planet</b></p><p>8:05 - 9:00 GMT – <i>Australian Pavilion? (the location is being confirmed)</i></p><p>Facilitator: Australia’s Ambassador for the Environment, Mr Jamie Isbister</p><p>Nature-based
Solutions, such as the protection and restoration of blue carbon and
forest ecosystems, result in outcomes for climate mitigation and
adaptation, the environment and people. Australia is working to enhance
opportunities for cross-sector participation and private sector funding
in Nature-based Solutions by working with our Pacific neighbours,
coordinating global partnerships, protecting and rehabilitating natural
habitats, diversifying livelihoods, funding research and brokering
private sector interests. At this event, Australia will be inviting
further engagements through the new Climate Resilient by Nature Program
and Blue Carbon Accelerator Fund.</p><p>Event link: <a href="https://bluecarbonpartnership.org/event/nature-based-solutions-to-climate-change-helping-people-the-environment-and-the-planet/" target="_blank">https://bluecarbonpartnership.org/event/nature-based-solutions-to-climate-change-helping-people-the-environment-and-the-planet/</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879542"><p><b>Designing Blue Carbon Policy for Sustainable Outcomes</b></p><p>9:00 - 10:00 GMT – <i>Australian Pavilion</i></p><p>Hosts(s): Australia, with participation from Indonesia and the Pacific</p><p>Speeches and Panel Discussion.</p><p>Event link: <a href="https://bluecarbonpartnership.org/event/side-event-designing-blue-carbon-policy-for-sustainable-outcomes/" target="_blank">https://bluecarbonpartnership.org/event/side-event-designing-blue-carbon-policy-for-sustainable-outcomes/</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879543"><p><b>Coastal Blue Carbon Panel: The vital role of mangroves for climate change mitigation and adaptation</b></p><p>9:00 - 10:00 GMT – <i>Commonwealth Pavilion</i></p><p>Host(s):
Blue Ventures and Conservation International, with the support of
CATIE, Bangor University and the Blue Carbon Initiative.</p><p>Event link: <a href="https://bluecarbonpartnership.org/event/coastal-blue-carbon-panel-the-vital-role-of-mangroves-for-climate-change-mitigation-and-adaptation/" target="_blank">https://bluecarbonpartnership.org/event/coastal-blue-carbon-panel-the-vital-role-of-mangroves-for-climate-change-mitigation-and-adaptation/</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2882820"><p>Coastal Blue Carbon Panel – The vital role of mangroves for climate change mitigation and adaptation</p><p>09:30 - 10:30 – <i>Science Show Theatre (Green Zone)</i></p><p>In parallel to our <a href="https://blueventures.org/cop26-blue-zone-panel/" target="_blank">Blue Carbon Panel</a>
in the Commonwealth Pavillion in the Blue Zone at COP26, Blue Ventures
is organising a second in-person panel to discuss mangroves and blue
carbon. The panel looks at the role of mangroves in the context of
global climate breakdown, from the perspective of coastal communities
living on the frontline, and the government and civil society groups
working to support them.</p><p>The panel discussion will be supplemented by an interactive audience Q&A session.</p><p>Participant list:</p><ul><li>Moderator: Sophie Benbow · Head of Marine – Fauna & Flora International</li><li>Ambassador Peter Thomson – United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean</li><li>Cicelin Rakotomahazo – Mangroves Coordinator – Blue Ventures</li><li>Ulfath Ibrahim – Senior Foreign Relations Officer – The President’s Office, Maldives</li><li>Dr James Robinson – Director of Conservation – WWT</li><li>Sru Bunthary – Technical Officer (Cambodia) – WWT</li><li>Helen Cutillar – City Information and Tourism Officer – City Government of Sagay, Philippines</li></ul><p>Event link: <a href="https://blueventures.org/cop26-event-blue-carbon-panel-green-zone/" target="_blank">https://blueventures.org/cop26-event-blue-carbon-panel-green-zone/</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879544"><p><b>Mobilizing ocean and climate action at all levels for increased climate ambition</b></p><p>11:30 - 12:45 GMT – <i>Lomond Auditorium</i></p><p>Healthy
oceans and coastal areas are a critical part of the climate solution.
COP26 presents an opportunity to mobilize ocean-climate ambition at all
levels. We will discuss national and community-led solutions, focusing
on pathways for increased ocean climate action at COP and on the ground.</p><p>Speakers:
High-level representatives from the Friends of Ocean and Climate group,
including from the governments of Chile, Costa Rica, Fiji, Norway,
Sweden, United Kingdom, and United States, and local leaders from
coastal communities.</p><p>Event link: <a href="https://oneoceanhub.org/one-ocean-hubs-cop26-side-events-registration-now-open/" target="_blank">https://oneoceanhub.org/one-ocean-hubs-cop26-side-events-registration-now-open/</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879545"><p><b>The IPBC: Working together to deliver outcomes for climate, the environment and people</b></p><p>13:00 - 14:00 GMT – <i>Australia Pavilion</i></p><p>Hosts: The International Partnership for Blue Carbon</p><p>The
International Partnership for Blue Carbon (IPBC) is hosting a side
event titled ‘Working together to deliver outcomes for climate, the
environment and people’.</p><p>The event will take place on Saturday, 6
November 2021, from 1:00pm to 2.00 pm local time in the Australia
Pavilion at the conference venue in Glasgow, UK. There will also be the
opportunity to connect virtually.</p><p>The event provides a platform
for presenters to communicate their blue carbon initiatives, share ideas
and discuss opportunities for partnering with others, including a panel
discussion on the topic: Perspectives on partnership – blue carbon
activities and reflections on how partnerships are helping your work.</p><p>Event link: <a href="https://bluecarbonpartnership.org/event/working-together-to-deliver-outcomes-for-climate-the-environment-and-people/" target="_blank">https://bluecarbonpartnership.org/event/working-together-to-deliver-outcomes-for-climate-the-environment-and-people/</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879546"><p><b>Building Stronger REDD+ Cooperation under the Article 6 of the Paris Agreement</b></p><p>13:15 - 14:30 GMT – <i>Glen Affric (Multimedia Studio 3)</i></p><p>Sharing
knowledge on REDD+ under the Paris Agreement to encourage government
cooperation and private sector engagement. It will discuss the demand
for REDD+ and how these programs can be funded, and strategies to
overcome challenges in forest ecosystems and wetlands.</p><p>Speakers:
Dr. Young Sook YOO (Former S. Korea Environment Minister; CHOI Jai-chul
(Former S. Korea CC Ambassador); KIM Raehyun (Nat. Institute of Forest
Science); Hajar Khamlichi (OPMHT and Moroccan Alliance for Climate and
Sustainable Development); Khalid Charki (Morocco Water and Forests
Commission).</p><p>Event link: <a href="https://oneoceanhub.org/one-ocean-hubs-cop26-side-events-registration-now-open/" target="_blank">https://oneoceanhub.org/one-ocean-hubs-cop26-side-events-registration-now-open/</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2882793"><p><b>Seaweed as a Nature-Based Climate Solution</b></p><p>14:15-15:30 – SDG Pavilion</p><p>This
session will discuss how seaweed, or marine macroalgae, can be a
significant nature-based climate solution with large scaling potential
that can directly sequester carbon and indirectly displace greenhouse
gas emissions in numerous ways. Discussions will centre on the UN Global
Compact recent vision statement on “Seaweed as a Nature-based Solution
for Climate Change.”</p><p>Event link (scroll down): <a href="https://www.un.org/en/cop26/page/programme" target="_blank">https://www.un.org/en/cop26/page/programme</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879548"><p><b>Carbon conservation and sequestration in ocean: nature-based solutions and other marine processes</b></p><p>15:00 - 16:15 GMT – <i>Derwentwater </i></p><p>Carbon conservation and sequestration in ocean: nature based solutions and other marine processes</p><p>Many
coastal blue carbon ecosystems have been recently lost or badly
degraded. There is a need to improve protection and consider restoration
wherever practicable, through the design of novel and smart,
cross-sectorial and multi-regulatory responses.</p><p>Speakers: HSH
Prince Albert II of Monaco, Denis Allemand/Nathalie Hilmi - Centre
Scientifique de Monaco, Paul Holthus - World Ocean Council, Perre Masque
- IAEA, Lisa Levin - Scripps, Ralph Chami - IMF, Patricia Morales -
Fondation Meri, Jason Hall Spencer / Ana Queiros - Plymouth Univ, Sandra
Cassotta</p><p>Event flyer: <a href="https://seors.unfccc.int/applications/seors/attachments/get_attachment?code=HNAPI3FACR0J12NKGU9R53Y0IUTKAIPN" target="_blank">https://seors.unfccc.int/applications/seors/attachments/get_attachment?code=HNAPI3FACR0J12NKGU9R53Y0IUTKAIPN</a></p><p>Event link: <a href="https://oneoceanhub.org/one-ocean-hubs-cop26-side-events-registration-now-open/" target="_blank">https://oneoceanhub.org/one-ocean-hubs-cop26-side-events-registration-now-open/</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879550"><p><b>Blue Carbon Conservation and Restoration in Action: Examples from the Commonwealth</b></p><p>11:00 - 12:00 GMT – <i>Commonwealth</i> <i>Pavilion</i></p><p>Host(s): Blue Carbon Initiative, Conservation International, IOC-UNESCO, IUCN, International Partnership for Blue Carbon.</p><p>Event link: <a href="https://bluecarbonpartnership.org/event/blue-carbon-conservation-and-restoration-in-action-examples-from-the-commonwealth/" target="_blank">https://bluecarbonpartnership.org/event/blue-carbon-conservation-and-restoration-in-action-examples-from-the-commonwealth/</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879551"><p><b>Partners for Wetlands: Decade for Wetland Restoration at the Peatlands Pavilion</b></p><p>11:00 - 12:00 GMT – <i>Peatlands Pavilion - Hybrid event</i></p><p>Organisers:
RAMSAR Convention; BirdLife International; International Union for
Conservation of Nature (IUCN); International Water Management Institute
(IWMI); Wetlands International (WI); Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust
(WWT); World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)</p><p>Speakers include: Hans Schutten, Program Head Climate Smart Land-use, Wetlands International; WWF; IUCN; RAMSAR; FAO; UNEP.</p><p>Event link: <a href="https://www.wetlands.org/cop26/" target="_blank">https://www.wetlands.org/cop26/</a></p><p> Link for registration: <a href="https://globalpeatlands.online/PeatlandPavilionCOP26Registration" target="_blank">https://globalpeatlands.online/PeatlandPavilionCOP26Registration</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879552"><p><b>COP26 Special: Bottom trawling and a zero-carbon future: what needs to change?</b></p><p>16:00 - 18:30 GMT <i>Live and virtual (the live location is being confirmed)</i></p><p>Small-scale
fishers and environmental groups have long criticised bottom trawling
for its negative impact on coastal fisheries and ecosystems. But
emerging research suggests that bottom trawling’s impacts extend beyond
seabed damage and overfishing and includes significant contributions to
global greenhouse gas emissions. If current estimates are correct, then
bottom trawling may be one of the most carbon-intensive methods of
producing food. In this special COP26 panel discussion, a global panel
of experts will explore bottom trawling’s place in a zero-carbon future.</p><p>The session aims to:</p><ul><li>Present current research on the contribution of bottom trawling to
the climate crisis and its broader social and ecological impacts</li><li>Explore the impacts of bottom trawling restrictions in West Africa
and Belize and present opportunities for bottom trawling management in
Europe</li><li>Facilitate cross-sectoral learning by discussing approaches to bottom trawling management in diverse global geographies</li><li>Discuss policies that exist or could be developed to mitigate the
impact of bottom trawling on coastal fisheries, ecosystems and the
climate</li></ul><p>Event link (registration required): <a href="https://transformbottomtrawling.org/cop26-special-bottom-trawling-and-a-zero-carbon-future-what-needs-to-change/" target="_blank">https://transformbottomtrawling.org/cop26-special-bottom-trawling-and-a-zero-carbon-future-what-needs-to-change/</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879553"><p><b>Building forward better: A blueprint and tools to meet global goals for climate, nature and people</b></p><p>16:45 - 18:00 GMT – <i>Loch Lomond</i></p><p>Showcase
opportunities and approaches for a green and just recovery and climate
action, from nature-based solutions and safeguards to addressing
financial risks from nature loss, highlighting the need for
collaboration across financial flows, donor/recipient countries, sectors
and policy processes.</p><p>Speakers: Emily Shuckburgh/Nina Seega,
University of Cambridge; Patricia Zurita-CEO, BirdLife International;
Amy Fraenkel-Executive Secretary, CMS; Koen Doens-Director General, DG
INTPA, EC; Muhammad Mahmood Abubakar-Minister of Environment, Nigeria;
Piyush Gupta-CEO, Development Bank Singapore OR GEF CEO.</p><p>Event link: <a href="https://oneoceanhub.org/one-ocean-hubs-cop26-side-events-registration-now-open/" target="_blank">https://oneoceanhub.org/one-ocean-hubs-cop26-side-events-registration-now-open/</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879561"><p><b>COP26 Event: Save the Ocean to Save the Climate – Blue Carbon Breakfast Briefing</b></p><p>08:00 - 09:00 GMT – <i>Ottoman Coffee house, 73 Berkeley St</i></p><p>COP26
is a vital point in the response to the global climate emergency. One
of the biggest carbon stores is our seas, yet it is not included in
nations’ climate change plans, and emissions or sequestration from it
are not yet counted in the UK, the EU, or any nation’s annual emissions
statistics. This briefing aims to provide an introduction to the role
our seas play in addressing the climate crisis and what more should be
done to manage activities taking place in them.</p><p>Join our Blue Carbon Breakfast Briefing with:</p><ul><li>Dr Rashid Sumaila, Professor and Director of the Fisheries Economics
Research Unit at the University of British Columbia Institute for the
Oceans and Fisheries</li><li>Dr Emma Cavan, Research Fellow, Imperial College London</li><li>Claudia Beamish, former Member of Scottish Parliament and Special Advisor to the Scottish Labour Group on COP26</li><li>Mike Walker, Our Fish</li></ul><p>Moderated by Phil Rhodri Taylor, Open Seas</p><p>Event link: <a href="https://our.fish/news/cop26-event-save-the-ocean-to-save-the-climate/" target="_blank">https://our.fish/news/cop26-event-save-the-ocean-to-save-the-climate/</a></p><p>Register at: <a href="https://bit.ly/3azvqIk" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/3azvqIk</a></p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879563"><p><b>Blue Carbon: Beyond the Inventory - International Conference, Workshop & Fieldtrip</b></p><p>11 & 12 Nov – <i>National Museum of Scotland</i></p><p>The Scottish Blue Carbon Forum, in collaboration with <a href="https://www.gov.scot/about/how-government-is-run/directorates/marine-scotland/" target="_blank">Marine Scotland</a> and the <a href="https://soi.st-andrews.ac.uk/" target="_blank">University of St Andrews</a>, are pleased to announce a two-day Blue Carbon Conference to coincide with <a href="https://ukcop26.org/" target="_blank">COP26 </a>(United
Nations international climate negotiations), being hosted by the UK in
Glasgow from 31 October to 12 November, 2021. The Conference will
gather, both in-person and on-line, an international audience (including
COP26 delegates) to participate in a series of plenary sessions and
workshops, addressing scientific and policy-facing issues, to address
Blue Carbon developments in the context of the Global Climate Emergency.</p><p>The
meeting will include policy and science talks, workshops and
discussions to highlight current best practice as well as emerging
opportunities going beyond the current frameworks, challenges and
threats to Blue Carbon. Talks and posters demonstrating emerging science
will feature strongly, reinforcing the message of the importance of
evidence-led policy.</p><p>An evening reception on the 11 November at the National Museum of Scotland is being supported by our partner, <a href="https://www.glenmorangie.com/en-gb" target="_blank">The Glenmorangie Company.</a></p><p>Event link: <a href="https://www.bluecarbon.scot/blue-carbon-conference" target="_blank">https://www.bluecarbon.scot/blue-carbon-conference</a></p><p>Pre-Registration,
Registration & General Enquiries: To pre-register your interest in
attending this conference and to receive priority alerts, updates and
general advice, please e-mail: <a href="mailto:bluecarbon@st-andrews.ac.uk" target="_blank">bluecarbon@st-andrews.ac.uk</a>.</p><p>Registration is now open and supported by our partner<a href="https://masts.ac.uk/" target="_blank"> MASTS</a>; both in-person and on-line attendance is possible. <a href="https://hopin.com/events/blue-carbon-forum-conference-2021" target="_blank">Register here</a>.</p></div>
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<div class="group-description serif story-rhythm type-theme-body clearfix" data-quill-id="group_content_2879564"><p><b>UN-Oceans: Ocean Action = Climate Action</b></p><p>16:45 - 18:00 GMT – <i>South Downs (Multimedia Studio 1)</i></p><p>Ocean-based
mitigation and adaptation solutions are essential to the achievement of
the Paris Agreement. This side event will showcase efforts that nations
are taking, with the support of the UN, to enhance these solutions for
ecosystems and societies.</p><p>Speakers: Lead organization: UN-Oceans
Supporting organizations: FAO, IAEA, IMO, IOC-UNESCO, UN/DOALOS,
UNEP-CMS, UNESCO, UNCTAD, UNFCCC, WMO.</p></div>
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<p><b>COP26 Presidency Programme</b></p><p>Link: <a href="https://ukcop26.org/the-conference/presidency-programme/" target="_blank">https://ukcop26.org/the-conference/presidency-programme/</a></p><p><b>Green Zone Programme of Events</b></p><p>Link: <a href="https://ukcop26.org/the-conference/green-zone-programme-of-events/" target="_blank">https://ukcop26.org/the-conference/green-zone-programme-of-events/</a></p><p><b>COP26 on YouTube</b></p><p>Link: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/cop26" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/c/cop26</a></p><p><b>International Partnership for Blue Carbon (IPBC) partner events</b> (also check for updates here)</p><p>Link: <a href="https://bluecarbonpartnership.org/%23events" target="_blank">https://bluecarbonpartnership.org/#events</a></p><p><b>Oceans Day - Glasgow 04.11.2021 </b>(Nordic Council of Ministers and the Nordic Council)</p><p>Link (multiple events listed): <a href="https://www.norden.org/no/node/54303" target="_blank">https://www.norden.org/no/node/54303</a></p><p><b>Biodiversity and Adaptation - Glasgow 05.11.2021 </b>(Nordic Council of Ministers and the Nordic Council)</p><p>Link (multiple events listed): <a href="https://www.norden.org/no/node/54304" target="_blank">https://www.norden.org/no/node/54304</a></p><p><b>Ocean Decade Events at COP26 Glasgow</b></p><p>Link: <a href="https://www.oceandecade.org/news/ocean-decade-events-at-climate-cop26-glasgow/" target="_blank">https://www.oceandecade.org/news/ocean-decade-events-at-climate-cop26-glasgow/</a></p><p><b>UNESCO's IOC at the Climate COP26 (Glasgow)</b></p><p>Link: <a href="https://ioc.unesco.org/news/join-unescos-ioc-climate-cop26-glasgow" target="_blank">https://ioc.unesco.org/news/join-unescos-ioc-climate-cop26-glasgow</a></p><p><b>Wetlands International at COP26</b></p><p>Link: <a href="https://www.wetlands.org/cop26/" target="_blank">https://www.wetlands.org/cop26/</a></p><p><b>World Ocean Council list of ocean-related COP26 events, including a co-organized Blue Zone event</b></p><p>https://www.oceancouncil.org/cop-26-events</p><p><b>Peatland Pavilion at UNFCCC COP26</b></p><p>Link: <a href="https://www.unep.org/events/symposium/peatland-pavilion-unfccc-cop26" target="_blank">https://www.unep.org/events/symposium/peatland-pavilion-unfccc-cop26</a></p><p><b>Ocean-Based Climate Solutions in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) </b>(July 2021 Update)</p><p>Link: <a href="https://oceanconservancy.org/climate/publications/ndcs/" target="_blank">https://oceanconservancy.org/climate/publications/ndcs/</a></p>Steven J Lutzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078660681832422418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7065804176024730707.post-75577597488548257602013-04-17T13:01:00.000-04:002013-04-17T13:02:09.724-04:00Coastal carbon included in White House plan<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">In the </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">National Ocean Policy Implementation </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Plan, just released by the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">White
House, </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">carbon capture and storage is included as one of the important services coastal ecosystems provide.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9Shsff6Ojb8/UW7U4ZUN1SI/AAAAAAAAAx0/bQ78AVkPNlU/s1600/NOPIPcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9Shsff6Ojb8/UW7U4ZUN1SI/AAAAAAAAAx0/bQ78AVkPNlU/s320/NOPIPcover.jpg" width="244" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">"<i>The health and integrity of coastal habitats - such as coral reefs, wetlands, mangroves, salt marshes and sea grass beds - are key to sustaining our Nation’s valuable coastal and ocean ecosystems and the wealth of benefits they provide to us.</i></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i> ... they capture and store carbon...</i>"</span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">To view the Plan go here:</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov//sites/default/files/national_ocean_policy_implementation_plan.pdf" rel="nofollow" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial,sans-serif;" target="_blank">http://www.whitehouse.gov//sites/default/files/national_ocean_policy_implementation_plan.pdf</a></span><br />
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Steven J Lutzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078660681832422418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7065804176024730707.post-5167599309067573222013-03-18T15:04:00.000-04:002013-03-28T15:10:29.586-04:00‘Blue Carbon’ project in the UAE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">‘Blue Carbon’ project continues to boost ecosystem health</span></span></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">March 18, 2013, The Gulf Today</span></span></i></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p1Fo15c6rL0/UVSUWU8JyWI/AAAAAAAAAuU/6KWJNsUBKY0/s1600/222919_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p1Fo15c6rL0/UVSUWU8JyWI/AAAAAAAAAuU/6KWJNsUBKY0/s400/222919_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">ABU DHABI: The Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative (AGEDI),
supported by the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD), last year
launched a pioneering “Blue Carbon” project that connects local coastal
and marine ecosystem health with climate change mitigation. <br /><br />Early results of the assessments indicate Abu Dhabi’s mangroves have more value at their old age than the newly-planted ones.<br /><br />Blue
Carbon coastal ecosystems include mangrove forests, sea-grass meadows
and saltwater marshlands. These ecosystems continuously sequester
(isolate) carbon from the atmosphere, sometimes at rates higher than
tropical forests, thereby helping to mitigate climate change. <br /><br />The
project draws together an international team of experts to investigate
the critical role Abu Dhabi’s coastal and marine ecosystems play in
fighting climate change. <br /><br />As reported in January this year, the
project assesses carbon sequestration and other services Abu Dhabi’s
Blue Carbon ecosystems provide. The project is gaining an understanding
of their geographic extent and assesses possible frameworks for the
development of mitigation initiatives in Abu Dhabi. <br /><br />In January, a
team of international experts from GRID-Arendal, World Conservation
Monitoring Centre (WCMC) and a team of coastal carbon scientists as well
as EAD, AGEDI and local volunteers undertook field surveys to determine
the extent, quality and baseline quantification of carbon stocks and
sequestration potential of mangrove, salt marsh and sabkha coastal
ecosystems. <br /><br />Sites surveyed extended across the Emirate from
Ghantoot in the East to Bu Tinah Island in the West. This fieldwork
provided the essential data for current analysis assessing the total
stock of carbon fixed by these ecosystems in Abu Dhabi. <br /><br />During
the fieldwork, a ground-truthing application, currently under
development for this project was tested, its aim being the strengthening
of information on Blue Carbon ecosystems’ distribution in the Emirate. <br /><br />Another
essential component of the fieldwork was the integration of EAD
personnel and local volunteers from Zayed University, Abu Dhabi National
Oil Company and the Higher Colleges for Technology, Takatof as well as
the Abu Dhabi community with global experts in these coastal ecosystems,
to develop local capacity for the continuation of Blue Carbon
assessments in the future. <br /><br />This international involvement is an
example of how, through the knowledge and experiences gained from this
project, Abu Dhabi aims to provide global leadership in understanding
and incentivising linkages between coastal management and climate change
around the world, as countries move towards greening their economies. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">During
the upcoming months, local stakeholders will be engaged to further
explore how Blue Carbon and other ecosystem services can be integrated
into policy and market frameworks in Abu Dhabi.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Story link: <a href="http://gulftoday.ae/portal/491ef9ba-8ec3-4693-aef5-4a29f6421eb8.aspx" target="_blank">http://gulftoday.ae/portal/491ef9ba-8ec3-4693-aef5-4a29f6421eb8.aspx </a></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Steven J Lutzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078660681832422418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7065804176024730707.post-42388696572285889422013-03-18T14:54:00.000-04:002013-03-28T14:56:46.020-04:00Salt marsh restoration could bring carbon benefits<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jxru9rue98c/UVSR-Z48elI/AAAAAAAAAuE/5JYITRvO_jo/s1600/salt_marsh_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jxru9rue98c/UVSR-Z48elI/AAAAAAAAAuE/5JYITRvO_jo/s400/salt_marsh_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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</xml><![endif]--><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Salt marshes that have been previously turned into farmland could be
restored and their ability to absorb carbon from the atmosphere resume
(http://www.greenoptimistic.com).</span></span></i><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Salt marsh restoration could bring carbon benefits</span></b>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial;">March 18, 2013</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> by Tom Marshall</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Allowing farmland that's been reclaimed from the sea
to flood and turn back into salt marsh could make it absorb lots of carbon from
the atmosphere, a new study suggests, though the transformation will take many
years to complete.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Scientists looked at one of the oldest such places in
the </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">UK</span><span style="font-family: Arial;">, Tollesbury in </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Essex</span><span style="font-family: Arial;">. Originally a salt marsh, the site was claimed for farming in the late
18th century, but eventually relinquished in 1995 when the bank separating it
from the sea was deliberately breached. Since then it's been reverting to its
natural state, though this is very slow process.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">'People want quick results, but these things take
time,' says lead author Annette Burden, a wetland biogeochemist based at the
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology in </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Bangor</span><span style="font-family: Arial;">. 'You can't expect a piece of land that's been
farmed for a century to turn overnight into something like a saltmarsh that has
been there for thousands of years. But the evidence is that this will
eventually happen, and this study suggests that the land starts absorbing
carbon very quickly after its flood defences are breached.'</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">In 2010 the researchers looked at how carbon moves
between soil and air at the site, and at the total amount of carbon accumulated
in the soil. They compared the results to nearby natural saltmarsh and
farmland.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Their results show that the Tollesbury site exchanges
carbon with the atmosphere at a similar rate to the natural marsh, absorbing
around 0.92 tonnes of carbon per hectare per year. But even after 15 years its
total carbon content is far smaller and its general biological functioning is
still very different – the authors think it could take a century or more to
catch up.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Known as coastal managed realignment, the process of
turning farmland back into salt marsh involves breaching sea walls and letting
the land revert naturally to how it once was. It's done for a variety of
reasons. At present the main one is to comply with the EU Habitats Directive,
which obliges the </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">UK</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> to replace salt marsh that's lost to development with new 'biologically
equivalent' habitat elsewhere.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">But managed realignment offers many other benefits.
It can improve biodiversity, since salt marsh hosts many rare and valuable
plant and animal species. It can help protect coastlines from flooding by
creating a buffer zone between the sea and infrastructure or homes. It can let
government bodies save cash on maintaining costly flood defences. And now this
study, published in Coastal and Estuarine Science, suggests another possible
benefit – absorbing copious carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and locking it
up in the soil. This could help limit the impact of our carbon emissions on the
climate.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Similar initiatives are afoot around peat bogs,
another enormous store of carbon in the </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">UK</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> landscape. Scientists and conservationists are
experimenting with blocking drains and other measures aimed at restoring
peatlands that were drained in a misguided twentieth-century effort at turning
them into farmland.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">This is where Burden's background lies. 'I wanted to
take what we've learned about peat bogs and apply it to salt marsh,' she says.
'Peatland has had much more attention from scientists, but people are thinking
that salt marsh could be just as important as a store of soil carbon.'</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">She thinks it's possible that per hectare of land,
restoring salt marshes could even be more valuable from a carbon-management
perspective than restoring peatlands. Re-wetting a peat bog initially makes it
emit methane, itself a greenhouse gas; recreating salt marshes has no such
drawbacks. But there is much more peatland that could be restored in </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Britain</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> than salt marsh, so their overall effect is
potentially more significant.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Other studies, some of which we've covered on Planet
Earth Online (see links to the right) have shown that it takes a very long time
for the mix of plants found in a natural salt marsh to return to a deliberately
recreated one. The same seems to be true of the soil's carbon content.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">She's now carrying out further research looking at a
range of sites that stopped being farmed at different times due to breaches in
sea defences during storms, some as long as 100 years ago, to get a better
sense of how they develop over time. 'The </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Essex</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> coast is brilliant for this kind of work, because you have so many
places that were returned to saltmarsh at different times - it's like a natural
experiment,' she says.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Provided by PlanetEarth Online search and more info
website.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Story link: <a href="http://phys.org/news/2013-03-salt-marsh-carbon-benefits.html">http://phys.org/news/2013-03-salt-marsh-carbon-benefits.html</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Image link: <a href="http://www.greenoptimistic.com/2013/03/19/salt-marshes-absorb-carbon/#.UVSQU1eU9lp">http://www.greenoptimistic.com/2013/03/19/salt-marshes-absorb-carbon/#.UVSQU1eU9lp</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span> </span></div>
</div>
Steven J Lutzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078660681832422418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7065804176024730707.post-58090537524205127652013-03-17T15:01:00.000-04:002013-03-28T15:02:00.012-04:00Blue carbon in the UAE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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</xml><![endif]--><b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Blue carbon acts as
mitigator of climate change</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Mangrove tree process will
limit atmospheric rises in temperature, experts say</span></i>
</div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial;">By Nada AlTaher, Staff
Reporter</span></i><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">, Published: </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">19:45</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">March 17, 2013</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span>
</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iE71pSc4Tck/UVSTYUiFssI/AAAAAAAAAuQ/kD1Q5LuFDu8/s1600/778651479.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iE71pSc4Tck/UVSTYUiFssI/AAAAAAAAAuQ/kD1Q5LuFDu8/s400/778651479.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial;">View from the Eastern
Mangroves hotel apartments on the eastern ring road in </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Abu Dhabi</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi
Global Environmental Data Initiative (AGEDI) and the Environment Agency – Abu
Dhabi (EAD) launched a Blue Carbon project, which aims to study the correlation
between the storage of carbon in ground beneath mangrove trees, seagrass
meadows and saltwater marshlands in relation to climate change.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Blue carbon is a fairly new
term in the world of environmental assessments. Unlike other greens, they store
carbon beneath the ground they live on, not just in their own bodies,” said
Edwin Grandcourt, Manager, Marine Assessment and Conservation Section, EAD’s
Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity Sector.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">In January a team of
international experts introduced the study’s methodology to start the
measurments. This practice is unique in the Arab world and is only being
conducted in </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Madagascar</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> and </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Indonesia</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> at the moment, according to experts.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“These coastal ecosystems
continuously isolate carbon from the atmosphere sometimes at a rate that is
faster than tropical rainforests. This helps mitigate climate change by
trapping greenhouse gases, which are normally the cause of temperature rises in
the atmosphere,” he added.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">In an attempt to study this
process further, scientists will study areas extending across the emirate of </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Abu Dhabi</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> from its </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Eastern Ghantoot</span><span style="font-family: Arial;">
region to Bu Tinah Island in the west. The registry of measurements will
conclude in May this year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">“This is a guidance project
aimed to increase the quality of spatial data because of the application
currently being developed. It will also help lead the way for other projects
aiming to further the studies we made,” said Ebrahim Bugla, Head of the Marine
Assessment and Monitoring Unit at EAD.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">After the project ends in
October, available results will be given to decision-makers in order to produce
policies for the betterment of coastal ecosystems in the emirate.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">To the untrained eye, they
may look like any other plant in the region. However, hidden in the sediment
beneath these mangrove trees lies a mitigator of climate change, a source of
nutrition for creatures below the soil and a possible source of fossil fuels
thousands of years from now.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"> Story link: <a href="http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/environment/blue-carbon-acts-as-mitigator-of-climate-change-1.1159504">http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/environment/blue-carbon-acts-as-mitigator-of-climate-change-1.1159504</a></span></div>
</div>
Steven J Lutzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078660681832422418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7065804176024730707.post-46234285999210322122013-03-13T17:07:00.000-04:002013-03-28T17:08:07.224-04:00Indonesia's Mangrove Ambassadors Programme<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">School children in Indonesia learn about are </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">fight<span style="font-size: small;">i</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">ng </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">climate change through mangrove conservation - - - </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">_________<span style="font-size: small;"><b>_</b></span> </span></span></span></b></span></span></span></b> </span></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Indonesia’s future generation pledges tourism leaders to fight climate change</span></span></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>Theodore<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Koumelis - 13 March 2013 - traveldailynews</i></span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CLXO1dPOsNk/UVSwj6_m89I/AAAAAAAAAvU/XKIiuaKwDnU/s1600/stream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CLXO1dPOsNk/UVSwj6_m89I/AAAAAAAAAvU/XKIiuaKwDnU/s320/stream.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">School children are the main protagonists of the Mangrove
Ambassadors Programme, one of the central elements of the project
“Sustainable Tourism through Energy Efficiency with Adaptation and
Mitigation Measures in Pangandaran" (STREAM).</span></span></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">School kids from Pangandaran, Indonesia, have urged global tourism
leaders to take climate change seriously. The 451 participants of the Mangrove Ambassadors Programme
voiced out through a selection of 24 “Letters to Leaders” how climate
change is affecting their daily lives at one of the most popular tourism
destinations in Indonesia. The Ambassadors Programme is part of a joint
project by UNWTO and the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy,
supported by the Government of Germany, to promote climate change
mitigation and adaptation measures (6 March, Berlin, Germany).<br /><br />School children are the main protagonists of the Mangrove Ambassadors Programme, one of the central elements of the project <em>“Sustainable Tourism through Energy Efficiency with Adaptation and Mitigation Measures in Pangandaran" (STREAM)</em>.
Their handwritten letters explaining how they are impacted by climate
change were delivered by the Indonesian Vice-Minister of Tourism and
Creative Economy, Sapta Nirwandar, to UNWTO during the presentation of the STREAM project at ITB Berlin.
The initiative aims to stress the importance of engaging local
communities in the implementation of any sustainable tourism project.<br /><br /><em>“We hope that our global leaders can do something against climate change”</em>, said Tiara Citra Dewi, a 14- year-old student, in her letter.<br /><br /><em>“Our
children are asking us to take strong action against climate change. We
thank UNWTO for listening to the voices of the next generation of
Indonesia, and we look forward to continue this collaboration and engage
in new initiatives”</em> said Sapta Nirwandar.<br /><br />UNWTO underscored the grassroots approach of the project.<em>
“STREAM is a practical example of how the tourism sector can engage
local communities to be part of a sustainable solution in adapting to
climate change”</em>, said UNWTO Executive Director for Competitiveness, External Relations and Partnerships, Márcio Favilla during the event.<br /><br />The
Mangrove Ambassadors Programme involves school children in planting and
monitoring mangroves as an innovative way to promote a local and
long-term sustainable solution to climate change adaptation. Through the
Programme, Indonesia’s future generations become not only an active
part of the fight against climate change in their communities but also
the voice of this movement amongst the older generations.<br /><br />Other
initiatives of the STREAM project include seminars and workshops to
increase the knowledge of local tourism stakeholders on climate change
response, capacity building on energy efficiency, renewable energy
technologies and energy management systems for hoteliers, as well the
rehabilitation of mangroves and coral reefs by locals and tourists as a
means to naturally capture and store carbon emissions. <br /><br />The
STREAM project, with an investment of US$ 1.7 million, aims to
significantly increase the climate change resilience of Pangandaran and
the competiveness of its tourism sector, thereby serving as a model to
be adopted and replicated in other destinations in Indonesia and
South-East Asia.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Story Link: <a href="http://www.traveldailynews.asia/news/article/51867/indonesia-rsquo-s-future-generation-pledges-tourism" target="_blank">http://www.traveldailynews.asia/news/article/51867/indonesia-rsquo-s-future-generation-pledges-tourism </a></span></span></div>
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Steven J Lutzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078660681832422418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7065804176024730707.post-56277855803086875372013-03-12T15:24:00.000-04:002013-03-28T15:27:36.301-04:00The Not-So-Mysterious Loss of Salt Marshes and Ecosystem Services<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="byline"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Great article from Scientific American highlighting salt marsh ecosystem services including carbon sequestration - - -</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="byline"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="byline"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">_________________</span></i></span></span><br />
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<span class="byline"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The
Not-So-Mysterious Loss of Salt Marshes and Ecosystem Services</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="byline"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">By Paige Brown | </span></i></span><span class="datestamp"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">March 12, 2013 </span></i></span><span class="byline"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="byline"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">| </span></i></span><i>Scientific American</i></span></span></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aJZLrhSE4OE/UVSYokZ4U_I/AAAAAAAAAuc/IZEu4ROzZIU/s1600/Cordgrass-in-saltmarsh-at-Plum-Island-Estuary-in-Massachusetts-Photo-by-DS-Johnson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aJZLrhSE4OE/UVSYokZ4U_I/AAAAAAAAAuc/IZEu4ROzZIU/s400/Cordgrass-in-saltmarsh-at-Plum-Island-Estuary-in-Massachusetts-Photo-by-DS-Johnson.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Healthy salt marsh creeks at </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Plum</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Island</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Estuary, </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Massachusetts</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">, are lined
with lush, smooth cordgrass. The plant’s below-ground roots and above-ground
leaves build and maintain salt marshes. Credit: David S. Johnson</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Mosquitos by the droves. Polluted coastal waters.
Increased storm surge vulnerability. Loss of habitat for crabs, shellfish and
vast numbers of beautiful bird species including sparrows and rails [1]. These
are just some of the potential consequences of loss of salt marshes around the
country, many of which are now listed as “habitats of concern.”[2]</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Salt marshes are among the most ecologically
productive and diverse ecosystems in the </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">United States</span><span style="font-family: Arial;">. They provide important services such as floodwater
storage and storm protection for coastal cities such as </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">New Orleans</span><span style="font-family: Arial;">. Healthy marshes also serve essential roles in
carbon sequestration, a service of primary concern at current emission rates of
the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, nutrient removal and water purification.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">However, global climate change and sea level rise,
agricultural and industrial development and loss of sediment supply are
contributing to dramatic rates of wetland loss worldwide. In the </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Gulf</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Coast</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> region, these and other factors – many still largely
under-studied – are driving salt marsh loss at unprecedented rates. While salt
marches are famously valued for their function in nutrient removal, improving
water quality by filtering runoff and removing sediment, nutrients, pesticides,
metals, and other pollutants [3], new research suggests that these marshes are
not impervious to the damaging effects of natural and artificial nutrient
accumulation.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">In October 2012, seven researchers from various
universities and laboratories across the country published a study in
prestigious Nature magazine investigating the effects of coastal
eutrophication, or the response of aquatic systems to the addition of natural
and artificial nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates present in fertilizers
and sewage, on salt marsh loss. Linda Deegan, Louisiana State University alumna
and senior scientist in the Ecosystems Center at the Marine Biological
Laboratory at Woods Hole, headed a rigorous nine-year whole-ecosystem
nutrient-enrichment experiment to investigate the effects of coastal
eutrophication, assisted by David Samuel Johnson, R. Scott Warren, Bruce J.
Peterson, Sergio Fagherazzi, Wilfred M. Wollheim and John W. Fleeger, professor
emeritus in the Department of Biological Sciences at Louisiana State
University.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“We wanted to understand the impacts of increased
nutrients including nitrogen and phosphorus – also known as coastal
eutrophication – on all aspects of saltmarshes, from plant production, to
decomposition, to food webs that lead to fish and birds, to the long-term
ability of marshes to keep up with sea-level rise,” Deegan said.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4p48E1PMVK8/UVSY0nqgkYI/AAAAAAAAAuk/o4t8aJyqWVQ/s1600/Broken-salt-marsh-at-Plum-Island-Estuary-after-nutrient-enrichment-by-Christopher-Neill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4p48E1PMVK8/UVSY0nqgkYI/AAAAAAAAAuk/o4t8aJyqWVQ/s320/Broken-salt-marsh-at-Plum-Island-Estuary-after-nutrient-enrichment-by-Christopher-Neill.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">After eight years of nutrient enrichment, the edge of
this salt marsh at </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Plum</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Island</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Estuary has
fragmented and turf has slumped into the channel. Credit: Christopher Neill</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">In a nine-year whole-ecosystem experiment, Deegan and
colleagues used a microcomputer to add controlled amounts of a solution of
concentrated nitrogen and phosphorous to incoming tidal water in tidal creeks
in Plum Island Estuary [4], allowing the water to flood the marsh the way
enriched coastal waters would in real-world processes. The site of the study, a
large marsh in northeastern </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Massachusetts</span><span style="font-family: Arial;">, is otherwise generally untouched by nutrient
pollution. The experiment involved adding nutrients to the twice-daily flooding
tides for a total of nine years, from 2004 to 2012, during growing seasons,
enriching about 30,000 square meters of marsh in several experimental creek
systems. In this way, the researchers could definitively study the impacts of
nutrient addition on salt marsh health.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
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<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">“This experiment is unique in the world – and given some
of the difficulties we encountered we have a better appreciation for why!”
Deegan said. “For example, it can be challenging to keep electrical components
and computers working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week during the growing season
for 9 years in a salt water environment.”</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
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<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Despite physical challenges, the whole-ecosystem
experiment paid off in a big way, providing results not predicted by previous
marsh models based on small plot experiments.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Our biggest success is that we have found responses
that simply would not be observed if we had added dried fertilizer to small
sections of the marsh as is typically done. Our experiment allowed the
interaction of many parts of the marsh resulting in an unexpected response –
the creek banks fell apart.”</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">“In only five to seven years, the edge of the marsh
is literally falling apart,” Fleeger said in an official university press
release [5].</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">As Deegan explains, the breakdown in the creekbanks
of the nutrient-enriched marsh happened in several stages. In the first few
years of the experiment, the nutrients caused the marsh grass – primarily
Spartina cordgrass (<i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Spartina</span></i>
spp) [6] – along the creek edges to grow greener and taller, in a process
similar to what happens when you add fertilizer to your garden. These taller Spartina
cordgrasses, however, produce fewer of the roots and rhizomes that normally
help stabilize the edge of the marsh creek. Added nutrients also boosted
microbial decomposition of leaves, stems, and other biomass in the marsh peat,
further destabilizing the creek banks.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Eventually, the poorly rooted grass grew too tall
and fell over, where the twice-daily tides tugged and pulled it,” Deegan said,
“The weakened, decomposed peat in the creek bank then cracked and chunks of the
creek bank fell into the creek.”</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">“When we first started this work, it was thought that
salt marshes would be able to sequester excess nutrients and neutralize them
with little impact on the marsh itself, but that hasn’t proven to be the case,”
Fleeger said in the LSU press release [7]. “While they are in effect ‘grabbing’
the nutrients from the water, it is most definitely having an impact on the
stability and function of the ecosystem.”</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The results of the experiment have important
consequences for marsh ecosystems worldwide. Salt marshes are a critical
interface between the land and sea. They provide habitat for fish, birds, and
shellfish, protect coastal cities from storms and absorb nutrients out of the
water coming from upland areas, protecting coastal bays from over-pollution.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">“If we lose our marshes, we will lose all these
important ecosystem services,” Deegan said.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">But where do these deleterious nitrogen and
phosphorous nutrients come from in real-world processes that are now known to
harm salt marches more than previously thought? The modern use of ammonium
fertilizers and combustion of fossil fuels has created an accelerated global
nitrogen, contributing to high nutrient levels in uplands that eventually
affect coastal waters.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">“These actions are a combination of agricultural runoff,
waste water from cities and towns and atmospheric deposition,” Deegan said.
“The proportion of the nutrient problem that is from these different sources
can vary from location to location. Here in </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">New England</span><span style="font-family: Arial;">, the most of the nutrients are from sewer and septic
wastewater from cities and towns, while in other regions the biggest problem is
agricultural runoff.”</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Deegan suggests that agricultural practices use a
combination of ‘tried and true’ as well as new approaches to control fertilizer
runoff. Strips of land in natural vegetation can be used as buffers
between agricultural land and coastal areas to remove fertilizers and minimize
runoff. We could also do a better job of targeting applied nutrients on an
as-needed basis.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">“We can also use new technology to be smarter about
how much, when and how we apply fertilizer,” Deegan said. “A lot of fertilizer
is ‘over applied’ to make sure that the agricultural crop has more nitrogen
that it actually needs. That causes pollution problems and is expensive. Doing
a better job of targeting the applied nutrients is a ‘win/win’. We can do
a better job of timing the application of fertilizer to when the plants need it
by keeping close track of the plant growth. We also now have the ability to
test soils for nitrogen content in real-time, and tractors that can be
programed to apply the specific amount of fertilizer for a particular section
of ground rather than just broadcast general average for the region. Putting
all these old and new techniques in place could contribute to less fertilizer
runoff.”</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ehHVQ_UqMGc/UVSY6a0hrQI/AAAAAAAAAus/9Go_p5LnyfE/s1600/Linda-Deegan-sampling-water-in-Plum-Island-saltmarsh-Credit-Chris-Neill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ehHVQ_UqMGc/UVSY6a0hrQI/AAAAAAAAAus/9Go_p5LnyfE/s320/Linda-Deegan-sampling-water-in-Plum-Island-saltmarsh-Credit-Chris-Neill.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Linda Deegan sampling water in </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Plum</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Island</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> saltmarsh.
Credit: Christopher Neill</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Deegan and colleagues have provided substantial
evidence that salt marshes can’t take nutrient overload without harmful
consequences for natural ecosystem services. Unfortunately, the damage
doesn’t end there. Deegan and colleagues suggest in their paper that
simultaneous increases in nutrient loading and sea-level rise as a consequence
of global warming could result in synergistic march loss, with higher wave
energy and flow velocities associated with sea level rise combining with
nutrient effects on creek-bank stability to accelerate land erosion.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Now we understand that nutrient enrichment also
causes a very important loss of salt marsh habitat for fish and shellfish,”
Deegan said in a Woods Hole press release [8]. “This is one more reason why we
need better treatment of household waste in our towns and cities.”</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">“We also recognize that marsh loss has many causes,”
Fleeger said. “In some places, herbivores –consumers of algae or marsh grass –
have increased, often because top predators are reduced in numbers, and have
reduced the area of vegetated marsh as a result of overgrazing. Other
places have experienced marsh loss because the supply of sediment is reduced
and marshes subside.”</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Despite the many and complex factors contributing to
marsh loss, Deegan provides some hope for marsh ecosystems if appropriate
measures are taken.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">“We feel certain that if we control the levels of
nutrients in the water, given continued sediment availability, the marshes will
rebuild using the same natural processes that built them in the first place,”
Deegan said. “It may take a couple of decades, but we think they will recover.”</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">~~~</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">For a video interview with Dr. Linda Deegan
about salt marsh loss, visit <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP3hRkX03Q8&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP3hRkX03Q8&feature=youtu.be</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">For the original Woods Hole press release,
visit <a href="http://www.mbl.edu/blog/why-are-our-salt-marshes-falling-apart/" target="_blank">http://www.mbl.edu/blog/why-are-our-salt-marshes-falling-apart/</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">For the original </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Louisiana</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">State</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">University</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> press release, visit <a href="http://www.lsu.edu/ur/ocur/lsunews/MediaCenter/News/2012/10/item53764.html" target="_blank">http://www.lsu.edu/ur/ocur/lsunews/MediaCenter/News/2012/10/item53764.html</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">For the original <i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Nature</span></i> article, visit <a href="http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v490/n7420/abs/nature11533.html" target="_blank">http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v490/n7420/abs/nature11533.html</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial;">Notes:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7065804176024730707" name="0.1_footnote1"></a><sup><span style="font-family: Arial;">1</span></sup><span style="font-family: Arial;"> <a href="http://saltmarshlife.com/salt-marsh/birds.html" target="_blank">http://saltmarshlife.com/salt-marsh/birds.html</a></span><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7065804176024730707" name="0.1_footnote2"></a><sup><span style="font-family: Arial;">2</span></sup><span style="font-family: Arial;"> <a href="http://udel.edu/%7Egshriver/research/saltmarsh.html" target="_blank">http://udel.edu/~gshriver/research/saltmarsh.html</a></span><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7065804176024730707" name="0.1_footnote3"></a><sup><span style="font-family: Arial;">3</span></sup><span style="font-family: Arial;"> <a href="http://healthygulf.org/our-work/wetlands/wetland-importance" target="_blank">http://healthygulf.org/our-work/wetlands/wetland-importance</a></span><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7065804176024730707" name="0.1_footnote4"></a><sup><span style="font-family: Arial;">4</span></sup><span style="font-family: Arial;"> <a href="http://www.lternet.edu/sites/pie" target="_blank">http://www.lternet.edu/sites/pie</a></span><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7065804176024730707" name="0.1_footnote5"></a><sup><span style="font-family: Arial;">5</span></sup><span style="font-family: Arial;"> <a href="http://www.lsu.edu/ur/ocur/lsunews/MediaCenter/News/2012/10/item53764.html" target="_blank">http://www.lsu.edu/ur/ocur/lsunews/MediaCenter/News/2012/10/item53764.html</a></span><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7065804176024730707" name="0.1_footnote6"></a><sup><span style="font-family: Arial;">6</span></sup><span style="font-family: Arial;"> <a href="http://www.psparchives.com/our_work/protect_habitat/ans/spartina.htm" target="_blank">http://www.psparchives.com/our_work/protect_habitat/ans/spartina.htm</a></span><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7065804176024730707" name="0.1_footnote7"></a><sup><span style="font-family: Arial;">7</span></sup><span style="font-family: Arial;"> <a href="http://www.lsu.edu/ur/ocur/lsunews/MediaCenter/News/2012/10/item53764.html" target="_blank">http://www.lsu.edu/ur/ocur/lsunews/MediaCenter/News/2012/10/item53764.html</a></span><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7065804176024730707" name="0.1_footnote8"></a><sup><span style="font-family: Arial;">8</span></sup><span style="font-family: Arial;"> <a href="http://www.mbl.edu/blog/why-are-our-salt-marshes-falling-apart/" target="_blank">http://www.mbl.edu/blog/why-are-our-salt-marshes-falling-apart/</a></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span id="authorImage">About the Author:</span></span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Paige Brown is a 1st year PhD student in Mass
Communication at the Manship School, Louisiana State University. In her
research, she focuses on science and environmental communications and message
effectiveness. She also holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Biological and
Agricultural Engineering from </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Louisiana</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">State</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">University</span><span style="font-family: Arial;">. Paige is the author of the popular science blog <a href="http://www.scilogs.com/from_the_lab_bench/" target="_blank" title="">From
The Lab Bench</a>, hosted on SciLogs.com. Although a scientist by trade, she is
a writer at heart. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/FromTheLabBench" target="_blank" title="">@FromTheLabBench</a>
and on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/From-The-Lab-Bench-a-Science-Blog/162500870527708" target="_blank" title="">Facebook</a>. Follow on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/FromTheLabBench">@FromTheLabBench</a>.</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">~~~</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Story
link: <a href="http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2013/03/12/the-not-so-mysterious-loss-of-salt-marshes-and-ecosystem-services/?print=true">http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2013/03/12/the-not-so-mysterious-loss-of-salt-marshes-and-ecosystem-services/?print=true</a></span></span></div>
</div>
Steven J Lutzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078660681832422418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7065804176024730707.post-43863385150865736762013-03-06T17:15:00.000-05:002013-03-28T17:16:26.913-04:00Management and Conservation of Mangroves Workshop<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mangrove carbon sequestration highlighted in Mexican workshop </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">titled </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> '</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Introduction to the Management and
Conservation of Mangroves<span style="font-size: small;">' - - - </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">__________ </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sunset World Puts Together a Workshop on Mangrove Conservation</span></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>36% of the mangroves of Mexico
have been changed or replaced. On the Yucatan’s
Peninsula, the damage comes also from non-organized
tourism and human settlements (Photo: PRWeb).</i></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cancun, Mexico
(PRWEB) March 06, 2013</span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thirty-six percent of Mexican mangroves have been changed or
replaced, and the Yucatan’s Peninsula,
home of 55% of them, also presents great damage on these coastal ecosystems,
caused by non-organized tourism, over-exploitation of species and human
settlements.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">On the workshop titled “Introduction to the Management and
Conservation of Mangroves” organized by the tourist group Sunset World Resorts
& Vacation Experiences to commemorate World Wetlands Day, the Secretary of
Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) in Mexico, added that the state of
Quintana Roo have the second place on mangrove territory with 16%, only behind
Campeche.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This course, given jointly with another Mexican agency, the
National Commission of Protected Natural Areas (Conanp), was directed to
students of the Environmental Engineering, Sustainable Tourism and Hotel
Management degrees of Universidad del Caribe. One of the main points of the
workshop was that mangroves are endangered not only in Mexico,
but internationally by other factors like water pollution, coastal erosion,
natural disasters and climate change.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">“50% of the world’s wetlands have been changed, and a great
part of the other 50% is deteriorated. Specifically in Mexico,
around 64% of mangroves are still untouched, but we have changed or replaced
36% of them,” pointed out the biologist Teresa Jimenez, head of the
Environmental Education department of Semarnat.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The tourist group, through it 2 branches, Hacienda Tres Ríos
and Sunset Admiral Yatch Club, coordinated this course for 25 Unicaribe
students to teach them about the characteristics and present condition of the
wetlands as well as the causes and effects of the main environmental problems
affecting them.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">On this tenor, Semarnat emphasized that the growing of human
settlements on the coastal zones, caused by the world’s tendency of living near
the sea to perform activities like recreation and tourism, and the rising of
sea level due to climate change “could irretrievably damage the coastal
wetlands” causing a modification on species and cutting down its productivity.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">On this workshop, we learned that wetlands cover about 4 to
9% of the world, and some of the benefits that they bring are: capturing an
important amount of the atmosphere’s carbon, provide nutrients to the sea, act
as a refuge and reproduction zone, their appeal for tourism and recreation, to
serve as natural sewer treatment and to recharge the water tables.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Gabriel Santoyo, Sustainable Development Director of Tres
Ríos, on his lecture showed the features that make this ecotourism complex an
example of sustainability on an international level and the efforts to save the
mangroves on the state.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The workshop was three days long. Two days of lectures on
the Unicaribe’s classrooms, and one more of practice on the Sunset Admiral
Yatch Club, where students and lecturers boarded a trimaran to visit some
locations of Nichupte Lagoon.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">On this trip we heard a lecture on the situation of the
mangroves given by biologists Teresa Jiménez, head of Environmental Education,
Pablo Rubio Taboada, technical assistant of the Protected Area of Nichupte
Mangroves and Gabriel Santoyo, Sustainable Development Director of Tres Ríos.
The students also enjoyed the marina facilities, a brunch and diploma for their
assistance to this workshop.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />Story link: <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/business/prweb/article/Sunset-World-Puts-Together-a-Workshop-on-Mangrove-4332325.php#ixzz2Os3rBRmB" style="color: #003399;">http://www.sfgate.com/business/prweb/article/Sunset-World-Puts-Together-a-Workshop-on-Mangrove-4332325.php#ixzz2Os3rBRmB</a></span></span></div>
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Steven J Lutzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078660681832422418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7065804176024730707.post-29572912099327684742013-02-27T15:54:00.000-05:002013-03-28T15:54:38.415-04:00Economic imperative for protecting mangrove ecosystems<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mangrove carbon se<span style="font-size: small;">questration highlighted in policy-brief based on the 2nd edition of the World Atlas of Mangroves (2010)<span style="font-size: small;">, i<span style="font-size: small;">ncluding the advancing blue carbon polic<span style="font-size: small;">es<span style="font-size: small;"> - - - </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">______________</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><b>Economic imperative for protecting mangrove ecosystems</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>27 February 2013 / Tarequl Islam Munna / The Financial Express</i></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CxsaIIZ5Jyg/UVSexPJSlvI/AAAAAAAAAvE/VrkH5GbdhKk/s1600/news_image_2013-02-27_22419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CxsaIIZ5Jyg/UVSexPJSlvI/AAAAAAAAAvE/VrkH5GbdhKk/s400/news_image_2013-02-27_22419.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>A partial view of the Sundarbans</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Experts are urging policymakers to conserve
mangrove forests and recognise their essential services to nature and
humanity alike, saying that shrimp farms and development activities
leading to their replacement will be a bad economic trade-off both in
the short and longer terms.<br /><br />Organisations from the forestry and
conservation sector and those linked to the United Nations (UN) have
released a policy-brief based on the 2nd edition of the World Atlas of
Mangroves (2010). It aims to provide managers with lessons learned in
the past mangrove conservation and management efforts along with policy
recommendations. <br /><br />Found mostly in the tropics straddling land and
sea, mangroves account for less than half the one per cent forests of
all kinds worldwide. Taken together, some 70 species of mangroves are
found in 123 tropical and sub-tropical nations and territories but they
occupy just 152,000 square km in total-an area slightly larger than
Nepal.<br /><br />Yet these so-called 'forests of the tide' provide enormous
benefits to humanity, especially as essential harbours for
biodiversity, as buffers against the destructive power of waves, and as
nurseries for coastal and offshore fisheries worldwide.<br /><br />Since
1980, the world has lost about one-fifth of mangrove forests and many of
what remains is degraded, says the new policy brief 'Securing the
Future of Mangroves.'<br /><br />Conversion of mangroves for coastal
aquaculture is the foremost driver of mangrove loss, the report says. An
estimated 38 per cent of global mangrove loss can be attributed to the
clearing of mangroves for shrimp culture, while another 14 per cent can
be blamed on other forms of aquaculture. <br /><br />Lead author Hanneke van
Lavieren of the United Nations University says: "The benefits of this
industry have too often been short-lived due to poor planning with ponds
being abandoned when pollution or disease takes hold, leaving
unproductive saline pools and depleted coastal fisheries."<br /><br />"Such
large-scale conversion has had major negative environmental impacts. In a
region where fishing in and around mangroves is a critical activity
providing food and income for millions of people, the socio-economic
impacts of this conversion have been tremendous," adds Ms. Van Lavieren,
Coastal Zones Programme Officer at UNU's Canadian-based Institute for
Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH). <br /><br />"There is now a
growing awareness about importance of mangroves and government and
community-led efforts are under way to restore or replant mangroves and
improve legal systems to regulate future use."<br /><br />Losses are being
driven by other human threats as well, however, including
over-harvesting and deforestation, agricultural, urban and industrial
runoff, oil spills and poorly-managed dredging and coastal development. <br /><br />"These
practices continue to take their toll and if left unchecked will cause
significant economic and ecological decline," says Dr. Mark Spalding,
Senior Marine Scientist at The Nature Conservancy and co-author of the
report. <br /><br />"Rare and critically important mangrove forests continue
to be lost at a rate three to five times higher than that for global
forests. Set against this is a growing realisation of the social and
economic value of mangroves and a remarkable array of restoration
efforts in many countries around the world."<br /><br />Climate change will
exacerbate existing pressures, the authors add. About 5 to 20 per cent
of coastal wetlands (including mangroves) will be lost owing to
sea-level rise by 2080. <br /><br />The most pronounced losses (over 20 per
cent) have occurred in the Asian and Pacific regions, followed by
Central America. Limited losses have occurred in East Africa, with only
an 8 per cent decline between 1980 and 2005. <br /><br />In some countries,
the extent of loss has been much higher than the regional norm. For
example, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation estimates that
Pakistan, Honduras, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Vietnam, Sierra
Leone and El Salvador each lost more than 40 per cent of their 1980
coverage by 2005. <br /><br />In Australia, Bangladesh, Cuba, Suriname and
French Guiana, the extent of loss has been kept to less than 1 per cent
over the same period.<br /><br />"The variation between the countries can be
mostly attributed to national policies and legal protection," says
co-author Zafar Adeel, director of UNU-INWEH.<br /><br />Some of the benefits of mangrove forests are listed below:</span></span></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mangrove forests serve as highly effective carbon stores and sinks.
Alongside living biomass, mangrove soils are carbon-rich, sequestering
carbon over millennial timescales. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Near-shore fisheries amid
mangroves are well documented and of much importance to many
communities, but many large-scale fisheries, such as commercial offshore
shrimp fisheries, are also highly dependent on mangroves as nursery or
breeding ground. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mangroves provide rot-resistant, high-value
timber and excellent fuel wood, which has been harvested under
sustainable silviculture programmes in some countries for over 120
years.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In many settings, mangroves act as a form of natural
coastal defence, reducing erosion, attenuating waves and even reducing
the height of storm surges. In the longer term, they can also help build
or maintain elevation in the face of rising seas. </span></span></li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The report
says economic valuations of mangrove ecosystem goods and services
provide some of the most powerful arguments for effective mangrove
management. <br /><br />"A growing number of economic valuations are being
conducted and most of them reveal considerable benefits, even from
single services such as fisheries," says Dr. van Lavieren. "When the
full suite of ecosystem services from mangroves can be assessed, the
arguments for maintaining healthy mangrove forests are usually
compelling." Specific examples of the economic value of healthy
mangroves include prawns harvested in Australia across the wide shallow
coastal shelf areas off both the Northern Territories and Queensland
one of the country's most valuable export fisheries, earning almost US
$72 million annually.<br /><br />One study cited in the policy brief shows
that planting and protecting nearly 12,000 hectares of mangroves in
Vietnam cost just over US$ 1 million but it saved annual expenditures on
dyke maintenance of well over US$ 7 million.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the
Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve in Malaysia is cited as arguably the
world's best example of a sustainably managed mangrove ecosystem.
Established in 1902, it covers an area of about 500 square km,
approximately 73 per cent of which is considered productive forests,
while the rest is classified as non-productive or protected. <br /><br />Only
non-destructive forestry, fishing and aquaculture practices are
permitted. Re-vegetation programmes are implemented two years after the
final felling as required. Annual value of the forest products between
2000 and 2009 was estimated at roughly US$ 12.3 million, with cockle
aquaculture adding an estimated annual value of US$ 10.7 million.<br /><br />"This
case provides evidence that mangrove forests can be conserved and
enjoyed while still providing reliable long-term but reasonably high
economic return for local and larger communities," according to Dr.
Spalding. "It shows that when well-managed, mangroves can ensure
sustainable yields of products."<br /><br />The report notes that around
Cancún, Mexico, "a mangrove-fringed lagoon was replaced in just a few
decades by high-rise hotels and some of the most expensive real estates
in the country. New coastal roads that were built to provide access to
these hotels have cut off the natural hydrological connections between
habitats." <br /><br />"Without mangroves, coastal erosion is widespread and
beaches are continuously being replenished artificially, a very
expensive venture. There remains significant pressure from tourism
developers and so far, national, regional, and local governments have
failed to adequately regulate the fast-growing coastal tourism
industry." <br /><br />"It is clear that integrated and stringent management
actions are needed to protect remaining mangroves." The report
describes the instruments and measures readily available to help
conserve and manage mangrove ecosystems and highlights lessons from
around the world on successful measures for protecting mangroves. <br /><br />And
it offers recommendations to improve legal and policy frameworks,
mangrove management tools, data and information collection, economic
incentives to promote more environmentally-responsible behaviour and
local livelihoods, recognition of the full value of mangrove ecosystem
goods and services, including carbon stores and sinks, and coordinated
global action under agreements related to biodiversity, wetlands,
sustainable development and climate change.</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Among the recommendations are some relating mangroves to climate change:</span></span></div>
<ul style="text-align: justify;">
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Better connecting of mangrove ecosystems with the role they play in the
global carbon cycle and climate system could change the economic
calculus for mangroves; </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The role of mangroves in climate
change adaptation and disaster risk reduction should be integrated in
local and national adaptation plans; </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The key-role of mangroves
as carbon stores and sinks needs to be highlighted in national and
international strategies that address climate change; </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Enhancement of existing carbon stocks and reversal of CO2 emissions by
increasing protection and restoration of mangrove ecosystems, and
integration of mangroves with emission trading and climate change
mitigation planning. </span></span></li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The World Atlas of Mangroves documents over
3,840 square km of restoration projects worldwide and "there are
doubtless many more," notes Dr. Spalding, who was the lead author of the
Atlas.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">However, "reversing the trends of mangrove loss and of
growing vulnerability of coastal peoples will require a real commitment
by governments to develop and implement robust high-level policies," the
report concludes. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">These are underpinned by many successful
examples of mangrove management from around the world, and by solid and
convincing economic arguments. Trends of mangrove loss can be rapidly
slowed with good management practices, laws and establishment of clear
frameworks for mangrove ownership, use and management. Restoration has
also been widely in place in many countries and it offers the
possibility of reversing the patterns of loss and brings considerable
benefits back to many coastal areas. This clear understanding of the
management interventions is required to secure the mangroves' future.
The policy can be applied to the world's largest mangrove forest, the
Sundarbans, in Bangladesh.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />Story link: <a href="http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/index.php?ref=MjBfMDJfMjdfMTNfMV85Ml8xNjE0MTc=">http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/index.php?ref=MjBfMDJfMjdfMTNfMV85Ml8xNjE0MTc=</a></span></span></div>
</div>
Steven J Lutzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078660681832422418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7065804176024730707.post-2936861336087732092012-12-19T10:29:00.000-05:002013-03-29T10:33:16.734-04:00New Website Puts Spotlight on Blue Carbon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<hgroup></hgroup><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Plans for the new Blue Carbon Portal include the potential incorporation of Blue Climate Solution<span style="font-size: small;">s' </span>Blue Carbon Blog<span style="font-size: small;"> (<i>this blog</i>) </span>- - -</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">___________</span></span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">New Website Puts Spotlight on Blue Carbon</span></span></b><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Information Portal Showcases Climate and Sustainable Development Role of Coastal Ecosyste<span style="font-size: small;">m</span></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </span></span></i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BpWfMNSzgaM/UVWlUGlUcEI/AAAAAAAAAvw/dvC5Wv-drqk/s1600/viewimage.aspx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="164" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BpWfMNSzgaM/UVWlUGlUcEI/AAAAAAAAAvw/dvC5Wv-drqk/s320/viewimage.aspx.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Mangroves forests, seagrass meadows and coral reefs can be connected to each other through nutrient cycles, physical processes, plant and animal migration and human impact. Photo credit: GRID-Arendal/Jason Valdez (Marine Photobank) </i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Nairobi, 19 December 2012 -</i>
Marine ecosystems, such as mangrove forests, seagrass meadows and
saltwater marshes, can capture and store a significant amount of
atmospheric carbon. Yet the full potential of these "blue carbon"
habitats to mitigate climate change remains relatively overlooked.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">To
improve understanding of blue carbon, and highlight innovative
projects that support these critical ecosystems, the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP) has launched 'The Blue Carbon Portal': <a href="http://bluecarbonportal.org/" target="_blank">http://bluecarbonportal.org</a></span></span></div>
<div class="related_content_container" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="related_content">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Co-managed
by UNEP and its Norway-based collaborative centre GRID-Arendal, the
portal is the world's premier comprehensive community-based website for
all matters related to blue carbon. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It aims to
provide a dynamic platform to discuss blue carbon issues, illustrate
blue carbon initiatives worldwide, and create a network for different
projects to share information, ideas and resources.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Other features of the Blue Carbon Portal include:</span></span></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Updated and archived blue carbon news;</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Global map utility illustrating blue carbon projects and initiatives;</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Expert blog</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">; </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Resources page for all blue carbon publications, presentations and videos; an<span style="font-size: small;">d</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Calendar of blue carbon events<span style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
addition to their climate benefits, blue carbon ecosystems play a
critical economic role, through the services they provide to coastal
and island communities. These include nurseries for coastal fisheries,
protection of shorelines, supporting of coastal tourism and cultural
heritage, and the conservation of marine biodiversity.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yet
despite their major contribution to sustainable development, coastal
ecosystems continue to be degraded or lost at an alarming rate. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
More than half of the world's original mangrove forest has
disappeared, often due to the conversion of habitat for shrimp and fish
aquaculture. Over-exploitation of wood products, urbanization, and
diversion of fresh water flow are other major drivers or degradation.
The annual global rate of mangrove loss is presently between 1 and 2
per cent.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Seagrass meadows are found on every
continent except Antarctica, with a global area estimated to exceed
177,000 km2. This is a reduction of 30 per cent in the last 100 years,
and the rate of loss is thought to have accelerated considerably in the
past 40 years.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The new website is part of UNEP's
Blue Carbon Initiative, which aims to develop a global partnership to
advance the sound management of coastal and marine ecosystems in order
to ensure that their carbon sequestration and storage functions are
maintained, and emissions of greenhouse gases are avoided. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">To submit content to the site, please contact the portal administrator via links on provided at: <a href="http://bluecarbonportal.org/" target="_blank">http://bluecarbonportal.org</a></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Story link</i>: <a href="http://www.unep.org/newscentre/default.aspx?DocumentID=2700&ArticleID=9362">http://www.unep.org/newscentre/default.aspx?DocumentID=2700&ArticleID=9362</a></span></span><br />
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Steven J Lutzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078660681832422418noreply@blogger.com