Carbon pools and multiple benefits

also being developed to increase the profile of mangroves in REDD+ and the UNFCCC. The IPCC Greenhouse Gas Inventory Guidelines for coastal wetlands are already available and this will be the first time that mangroves can be included in National Greenhouse Gas Inventories submitted by Parties to the UNFCCC. Central African Governments could take this opportunity to begin including mangroves and coastal wetlands in their Greenhouse Gas Inventories and to be reported in their National Communications or Biennial Update Reports to the UNFCCC. Looking beyond the carbon market, another method of calculating the value of carbon is the ‘social cost of carbon’; that is the total global value of carbon in climate benefits to humanity (the estimate of economic damages to net agricultural productivity, human health, and property associated with a small increase in carbon dioxide emissions, as calculated by the Interagency Working Group on Social Cost of Carbon, 2013). Using this method substantially increases the economic value of mangrove carbon in Central Africa. The social cost of carbon may be a non-market value, but it could more accurately represent the real value of ecosystems rather than what can be traded on the market. For the year 2015, the lower end estimate of the social cost of carbon is USD 12 per metric ton and the higher end estimate is USD 117 per metric ton (Interagency Working Group on Social Cost of Carbon, 2013). This translates into lower estimates of USD 15,588 per ha and higher estimates of USD 151,983 per ha values for Central African mangroves. These are not values that can be capitalized upon in a marketplace, but rather values that are relevant for the global economy. Furthermore, there are more non- market values that are locally important for mangroves and the communities that live around them. Examples of these include biodiversity benefits or cultural and spiritual values. It is very difficult and in some cases may not even be desirable to put financial dollar values on these benefits, but they are also important locally and should be taken into account. Given the high values and multiple benefits of mangroves, as evidenced by this report, focusing on mangroves could be attractive to REDD+ policymakers who are interested in maximizing social and environmental benefits for communities. However, in order for mangroves to be included in REDD+ strategies, it is imperative that the countries have a national definition of forests that includes mangroves in the definition. If this is not the case, then it is

not possible to include activities focusing on mangroves in national REDD+ strategies.

As described above, REDD+ strategies should also recognize that preventing the loss or degradation of forest will result in multiple benefits in addition to protecting or enhancing carbon stocks. By focusing on multiple benefits of mangroves, REDD+ activities can lead to direct social benefits such as jobs, livelihoods, land tenure clarification, enhanced participation in decision-making and improved governance; in addition to the carbon incentives. The UN- REDD Programme supports countries in their efforts to integrate multiple benefits into their REDD+ strategies and development plans. Outputs include general concepts and guidance on ecosystem-based benefits and documents responding to specific national activities and needs. At this stage national REDD+ strategies are being developed for the region, and it is the opportune time to include activities focusing on mangroves and multiple benefits. Furthermore, even taking into account data caveats the report points to the mangroves of Central Africa as being an exceptional ecosystem on a global scale, with higher carbon stocks measured here than many other ecosystems around. REDD+ strategies can incentivize and support conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks. This report thus provides a strong case for the inclusion of mangroves in national REDD+ strategies given their high carbon value and additional multiple benefits, and also the levels of threat to the ecosystem and the associated rates of loss in the region. In the next section, recommendations are made on what strategies could be supported under the REDD+ umbrella. Integrated land-use planning, coastal zone management, adaptation planning and REDD+ planning could all be instrumental for an effective response to maintaining, restoring and enhancing these ecosystems and maximizing the benefits they provide to society. We hope that this report can serve as a baseline study for future regional and national studies on mangrove ecosystems, as well as for the development and implementation of climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. The report provides evidence for the high value of mangrove multiple benefits, including contributions to food security; which make them such an important ecosystem and a priority for environmental policymakers.

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