'Blue Carbon+: Efforts to harness coastal and marine ecosystem values for improved

ecosystem managementExperiences from the Abu Dhabi Blue Carbon Demonstration Project and the

GEF/UNEP Blue Forests Project (PPG)

Steven Lutz

Garth Cripps, Blue Ventures

Building Blue Carbon Projects

Presentation agenda:

1. What is Blue Carbon & why is it important?

2. What does a Blue Carbon / Blue Forests project look like?– Abu Dhabi Blue Carbon Demonstration Project– GEF Blue Forests Project– Mikoko Pajoma project

3. Lessons learned and key elements for ‘bridging the gap’

A recent concept in marine conservation that advances the role some coastal ecosystems play in storing greenhouse gasses, thereby helping to mitigate climate change.

Blue carbon ecosystems include mangrove forests, seagrass meadows and saltwater marshlands.

What is Blue Carbon?

What is BlueCarbon?

Annual mitigation potential for all three habitat types is roughly between 300 and 900 million t carbon, approximately equal to the industry and energy emissions of Poland and Germany respectfully(Murray et al, 2011).

Why Blue Carbon?

These ecosystems are also vitally important to the livelihoods of many in coastal communities around the world, through the myriad of valuable ecosystem services they provide.

The values local users and communities place on these ecosystems.

Why Blue Carbon?

- VS -

“Textbook” total ecosystem service values

Why Blue Carbon?

- Over 30 % of global mangroves are thought of as degraded

Why Blue Carbon?

iStockphoto

• Healthy ecosystems store and sequester carbon

• Degraded ecosystems release carbon

UNEP/GEF Blue Forests Project

Project under GEF-5 Work Programme

The Blue Forests Project is a UNEP proposal to implement better coastal ecosystem management by harnessing the values associated with carbon and ecosystem services at a number of demonstration sites throughout the globe.

• $4.5m USD over 4 years• Co-financing: over $23m USD• Currently finalizing PPG phase• FSP submission to GEF in Sept 2013• ‘Blue Forests’ = carbon & ecosystem services

• UNEP• GRID-Arendal• UNEP-WCMC• Duke University• IUCN• Blue Ventures• Conservation International• WWF• AGEDI• Indonesia Ministry of Marine Affairs And Fisheries• UNEP-ROLAC• Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute• US Forest Service• South African Institute of International Affairs• The Ocean Foundation• NOAA• Stockholm University• Charles Darwin University

GEF Blue Forests Project Partners

GEF Blue Forests Project

Component 1 – development of guidance for implementation

Project-level support

Component 2 – application of Blue Forests

Madagascar – Ecuador – Mozambique –Indonesia – UAEKenya – Central America

Component 3 – improved understanding

Targeted research

Component 4 – adoption of methodologies and approaches

Policy and greater GEF IW and international application

Component 5 – monitoring, networking and information sharing

Project management

Blue Forests Project Components

Madagascar – Ecuador – Mozambique – Indonesia – UAE

• Improved understanding

of carbon and ecosystem services for blue forests ecosystems

• Improved capacity and ecosystem management

for blue forests ecosystems

The small-scale interventions

• Carbon market or other payment for ecosystem service

• Conservation agreements- Incentives for conservation actions

e.g., Change monofilament gillnets for lobster traps > market access or product certification

• Recognition of carbon and ES in policy and management- Existing legislation related to environmental

management or climate change- Commitments in biodiversity or climate change

• Other mechanisms- Debt swap?- Specialized funds for development mitigation?

Options for improved ecosystem management through

Abu Dhabi Blue Carbon Demonstration Project

• Abu-Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative (AGEDI)

• GRID-Arendal, UNEP, UNEP-WCMC, Forest Trends, expert science team

• $1.8 USD million(%100 co-finance to the GEF Blue Forest Project)

• Assess all three blue carbon ecosystems + ES• Nov. 2012- Dec. 2013• Part of the Oceans and Blue Carbon Special Iniative

Mangroves in UAE - A Unique Marine Ecosystem Legacy

• Recognizing the importance of mangrove ecosystem services, the late Sheikh Zayed initiated a massive mangrove forestation programme.

• The UAE is one of the only countries in the world to experience a positive growth in area of mangrove cover

• More than 75% of the total mangrove forest area in the UAE is located in Abu Dhabi.

What doesa Blue Forests -Blue Carbon+Project looklike?

(Abu DhabiBlue Carbon Demonstration Project)

Improving understanding

Improve ecosystem management capacity

Baseline Carbon Assessment

Carbon Finance Feasibility Assessment

2.1.5.3 Policy Assessment

Ecosystem Services Assessment

Communication and Outreach

Mapping and Ground Truthing

Project Coordination

Policy and Management Engagement

Geographic Tools

Policy Assessment

Capacity Building and Knowledge Transfer

Baseline Carbon Assessment

• Conducted by local and international science team

Capacity building

• Local experts and management and blue carbon science teams from Madagascar and Indonesia

Lessons learned from the experience will help ‘safeguard the ecological goods and services critical to increasingly poor and vulnerable Malagasy coastal communities, while also safeguarding critical biodiversity.’

- Lalao Aigrette, Mangrove Field Scientist, Madagascar

Ecosystem Services Assessment

• Conducted by Forest trends

Policy Assessment

• Conducted by UNEP

Academic approach ~ Research > deliverable (report)

Abu Dhabi approach

• Consult with decision makers- Decide on plan of action and target

stakeholders & clear and consistent messaging

• Consult with stakeholders

• Bring stakeholders together- present preliminary results, engage discussion

• Re-assess deliverable (policy options)

• Consult and bring stakeholders together again- present final results, engage discussion

Policy Assessment

Mikoko Pamoja - community-led mangrove carbon and conservation project

• Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Earthwatch, Napier Uni.• Gazi Bay, Kenya (107ha, small-scale)• Considered co-finance to the GEF project (through KMFRI).

• Certified under the Plan Vivo Standard

A framework for supporting communities to manage their natural resources more sustainably, with a view to generating climate, livelihood, and ecosystem benefits through payments for ecosystem services (PES); in this case mangrove carbon.

Background: Mangroves extensively degraded since the 1970’s, through commercial logging and land conversion.

Impacts to local communities - shortages of firewood and building poles, decline in fisheries, and increased coastal erosion.

Kairo, et al, in press (not for citation)

Mikoko Pamoja – Project timeline

June 2010 Approval of Project Idea Note (PIN).

July 2012 Validation of project (reforestation and avoided deforestation). .

June 2013 Independent verification of project.

Fall 2013 Payments expected to be realized

*Once the Kenyan Government issues a Forest Management Agreement to the Gazi Bay community.

Intended funder - AVIVA - British multinational insurance company headquartered in London, UK. It is the sixth-largest insurance company in the world.

Kairo, et al, in press (not for citation)

NegotiatedFinancialFlow ofMikokoPamoja Kairo, et al, in press(not for citation)

Estimated Income per year is $15,000 USD

External Buyer of the Carbon Credits

97 % of the Income

Group Expenses(Stationery etc)

3 % of Income

Mikoko PamojaCoordinating Group

25 % of Income

3 % of Income

37 % of Income

33 % of Income

ProjectCoordinator

Salary

Group Expenses(Stationery etc)

Mikoko Pamoja Work TeamsNursery establishment

Mangrove policingMonitoring and Evaluation tasks

Projects for Community Benefit.Expenditure determined through a

community benefit consultation process

Mikoko PamojaCommunity Based Organization

• Consult with policy makers at the beginning - understand local demand and desired outcomes

• Gain authority for project and your stakeholder engagement (political support)

• Engage stakeholders through a continual consultation process

• Effective communication key, especially clear messaging of scope of project and desired outcomes

• An honest discussion of expectations and limitations (avoid overselling)

• Policy engagement cannot be ignored!

Lessons learned and elements for success in 'bridging the gap‘between valuation and policy making

Steven Lutz - steven.lutz@grida.no

Blue Carbon Portal - http://bluecarbonportal.org

Tussen takk!

Questions for facilitated discussion

- bridging the gap -

• Are there any other examples of successful efforts in bridging the gap or key elements to consider that you would like to share with us?

• What types of additional information and processes are necessary to bridge the gap?

• What other types of information, in terms of human dimensions, should be considered in bridging the gap?