Communicating Blue CarbonBuilding Awareness, Capacity, Momentum, and Support

Stefanie SimpsonDec 11, 2018 | RAE CSO National Summit

Who we are - RAE• National Alliance• Living Shorelines• Water Quality• National Estuaries Week• Blue Carbon • Biennial National Summit

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RAE’s Blue Carbon Strategy• Supporting science through estuary-scale

assessments• Raising awareness and building capacity through

briefings and workshops• Connecting to carbon markets through market tools

and pilot projects• Exploring policy and regulatory options through

local and regional govts• Coordinating blue carbon initiatives across regions

…I talk about blue carbon A LOT

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Blue Carbon – It’s complicated!

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Communicating Tips• Know your audience• Identify your ask• Tell your story

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Know your audience• Who are you speaking to? • Ask yourself “why do they care?”• What is your ask?

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Framing the Topic• Blue Carbon is one piece of the puzzle

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Water Quality

Shoreline Protection

Bird Habitat

Recreation & Tourism

Commercial & Recreational Fish Catch Habitat

Reduced Flooding

Coastal Resiliency

SLR Adaptation

Climate Change Mitigation

Key Species Habitat

Make the Science Tangible

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People doing science!

Relate the Science to Local Priorities• How can the science be applied….

• To improve habitat management• Influence land use• Develop market projects• Influence policy

• And address local priorities…• Provide key fisheries habitat• Protect communities and infrastructure• Bring more resources for restoration & conservation• Achieve state GHG reduction goals

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Put the Numbers into ContextFull restoration of 11,600 acres captures 8.9 million tons CO2 = taking 1.7 million cars off the road for a year

Tampa Bay Habitats will capture and store 3.5 million tons CO2, offsetting 400 million gal gas

Draining of US wetlands emits up to 2 million tons CO2/yr1 million tCO2 = Burning 1 billion lbs coal

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EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculatorhttps://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator

Set yourself up for good discussion• What are you leaving your audience with?

• Next steps for a project?• Funding/resource needs?

• During the Q&A – Listen!• What is being asked?• Use the feedback

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Bringing home blue carbon• Blue carbon 101 – how I start every talk• Additional resources

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Blue Carbon 101• Frame the message• Define the term

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Blue Carbon 101• Make the connection to

what they already know• Visualize it

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Blue Carbon 101• The magic in the soils• Connection to other

ecosystem services

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Created by Adam Langley

Ability to build up C stores over time

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Adapting to sea-level rise

Blue Carbon 101• Define the problem

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Blue Carbon 101• And your solution

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Additional Resources• Video (5:47)• Infographic

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www.estuaries.org/bluecarbon

Thank you!

Stefanie SimpsonBlue Carbon Program Senior ManagerRestore America’s Estuariesssimpson@estuaries.org

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www.estuaries.org/bluecarbon

mailto:ssimpson@estuaries.org

Communicating Blue CarbonWho we are - RAERAE’s Blue Carbon StrategyBlue Carbon – It’s complicated!Communicating TipsKnow your audienceFraming the TopicMake the Science TangibleRelate the Science to Local PrioritiesPut the Numbers into ContextSet yourself up for good discussionBringing home blue carbonBlue Carbon 101Blue Carbon 101Blue Carbon 101Slide Number 21Blue Carbon 101Blue Carbon 101Additional ResourcesThank you!