Building Blue Carbon Projects - An Introductory Guide

Improving understanding

Carbon Assessment

The Carbon Assessment provides the essential data and analysis for quantifying the values of Blue Carbon storage and sequestration and storage at a project site. This is accomplished through the analysis of satellite images, the gathering of samples and carbon stock measurements through field research and laboratory analysis. Activities for the carbon assessment element can include the following: Establishing  the  location  of  the  project’s  targeted  field  surveys  (sample  plots)  based  on   geographic analysis; Estimating  the  carbon  stocks of  the project  site’s  standing Blue Carbon through the collation of existing data and targeted field surveys. The targeted field surveys apply methodologies for carbon assessment (see following text box) and will also facilitate the ground truthing of the satellite imagery analysis and include the collection and analysis of Blue Carbon biomass and sediment samples or cores; and The production of a carbon assessment report. Methodologies for Blue Carbon assessment Coastal and marine ecosystems have been explored in a carbon context for years, with seminal research on coastal productivity and the fate of mangrove organic matter published in the late 1960’s  and  early  1970’s   (e.g., Odum 1968, Odum and Heald 1972). Over time many researchers have developed their own methodologies for coastal and marine carbon assessment, such as the initiatives illustrated in Figure 5 and described in the case studies of Section 8. It is only recently that methodologies and projects have been focussed on potential carbon finance. In such a context, “methodologies, also called protocols, are approved by standards and provide specific criteria and procedures for projects. Projects must meet the requirements in a methodology  in order  to  receive  carbon  credit”  (Emmett-Mattox and Crooks, 2013). The current status of Blue Carbon methodologies includes the following (Emmett-Mattox and Crooks, 2013; Crooks, 2014): American Carbon Registry ,  “Restoration  of Degraded Deltaic Wetlands  of  the Mississippi Delta.”  Status  - approved; Verified Carbon Standard ,  “Methodology  for Wetland Creation.” Status  - in validation; Verified Carbon Standard ,  “Accounting Methods  to  Determine  the  Greenhouse  Gas  Benefits  of  Tidal   Wetland Restoration.” Status  - draft in preparation; Plan Vivo ,  “Mikoiko  Pamoja,”  a  community  based mangrove  carbon  project  in  Kenya  (Case  Study  8.2).   Status - unknown (the project is reportedly certified and awaiting first payment); International Blue Carbon Initiative ,  “Blue Carbon methodology” - in development; and Abu Dhabi Blue Carbon Demonstration Project ,  “Carbon Baseline Assessment Methodology Report”  - pending (Case Study 8.1).

Geographic Analysis and Ground Truthing

The  project’s Geographic Analysis  and Ground  Truthing  element  covers  the  critical  spatial  analysis   required for the assessment and management of potential Blue Carbon mitigation projects -

Building Blue Carbon Projects An Introductory Guide

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