Ahead of the Curve: GRID-Arendal Annual Report 2016

In 2016, the Norwegian Blue Forests Network helped profile the importance of blue forests ecosystems with Norwegian stakeholders, in the context of national and international climate science and policy. Photo: Janne K. Gitmark/NIVA

on blue carbon science, the value of ecosystem services and policy approaches both within the project and how they can be applied globally. Additionally, as part of the Blue Forests Project, GRID-Arendal is producing a report for release in early 2017 on how the value of blue carbon can help nations achieve multiple Sustainable Development Goals. Other activities of the Blue Carbon Programme included continued education activities of the Norwegian Blue Forests Network, a partnership with the Norwegian Institute for Water Research and the Institute of Marine Research, focused on increasing the scientific understanding of the value of Norway’s “Blue Forests” (kelp forests in particular) and of blue carbon within Norwegian climate policy in the developing world. GRID-Arendal is also working with UN Environment to bring the blue carbon concept to West Africa where a regional assessment of blue carbon is to be produced in early 2017. Finally, it’s not just coastlines where blue carbon is important. Last year, GRID-Arendal also explored oceanic blue carbon, a concept that examines the role that marine life beyond the coasts may play in addressing the global climate challenge. This project builds on the release of an earlier report entitled Fish Carbon: Exploring Marine Vertebrate Carbon Service s. Activities in 2016 included presentation at a scientific forum and the production of a newsletter, the BlueCLog.

GRID-Arendal’s efforts in sharing information and developing proposals for oceanic blue carbon included a focus on “whale carbon,” one of the benefits identified in the Fish Carbon report, which received multinational endorsement at last year’s meeting of the International Whaling Commission when 36 countries endorsed a resolution on whale ecosystem services. Next year GRID- Arendal will produce a short video on all of the marine vertebrate carbon services.

The importance of oceanic blue carbon received significant international support at last year’s meeting of the International Whaling Commission, when 36 countries endorsed a resolution on whale ecosystem services that includes a focus on “whale carbon”. Photo: Isaac Kohane

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