This paper written by Kristina di Ticman is a foundational document on the blue carbon accounting component aimed at developing a harmonized blue carbon accounting protocol in the East Asian Seas region. The proposal to develop a harmonized blue carbon accounting protocol was agreed at the 2nd General Assembly of the PEMSEA Network of Learning Center.

The paper provides a review and comparative analysis of blue carbon accounting protocols from various countries, namely China, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines and RO Korea, alongside the voluntary standards set by VERRA, a leading a non-profit organization that develops and manages standards for sustainable development, climate action, and responsible business practices.

The sixth IPBC Dialogue was held on 1-4 October 2024 at Cairns Convention Centre in Australia
and was co-hosted by the Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the
Environment and Water (DCCEEW) (IPBC Coordinator) and the Fiji Ministry of Environment and
Climate Change, with support from the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of
UNESCO (IPBC Coordinator Team). Around 100 participants from over 20 countries attended
the Dialogue either in-person or virtually.

This one hour video brings together leading experts, policymakers and practitioners to explore the multifaceted aspects of integrating blue carbon ecosystems into NDCs, guided by the recently published ‘Blue Carbon and Nationally Determined Contributions: Guidelines on Enhanced Actions.”

The Blue Carbon Foundations Course equips you with the knowledge and skills to understand blue carbon and its relevance to you. The course covers blue carbon science, policy, economics, and other concepts including livelihoods, adaptation, resilience, and communications.

The course is delivered over eight modules, including an introduction to blue carbon ecosystems, related international frameworks, treaties, conventions and agreements, national policy integration, MRV, climate and market finance, project outcomes, communication, and implementation.

As an update to the earlier version published in 2021, this policy brief outlines the blue carbon ecosystems that are currently ‘actionable’ for climate mitigation, based on the best available science and existing management practices. Additionally, this policy brief identifies the ecosystems that are ‘emerging’ and may become actionable in the future (macroalgae, benthic sediments and mudflats), as well as ecosystems that do not currently have a mitigation pathway but offer other critical benefits for climate adaptation and resilience, biodiversity, and livelihoods (such as coral reefs, oyster reefs and marine fauna). This brief does not consider climate mitigation options that move ecosystems further from their natural state and have possible negative impacts on human health and wellbeing, such as kelp afforestation and ocean fertilization. Non-ecosystem-based options for ocean carbon dioxide removal (CDR) are also not considered in this brief.

The Best Practice Guidelines for Mangrove Restoration brings together the latest accumulated local and scientific knowledge about mangrove restoration best-practices into one comprehensive resource. The aim is to align mangrove practitioners, NGOs, governments, scientists, industry, local communities, and funders around accepted best-practices for science-based and inclusive mangrove restoration.

The Blue Carbon Enabling Policy Conditions map shows the status of national policies related to blue carbon policy development in 21 mangrove countries. Fair Carbon reviews existing legislation, land tenure and carbon rights frameworks, and ongoing policy developments in mangrove countries to identify challenges to project development. This map is meant to help voluntary blue carbon market projects assess feasibility, and determine if projects require additional time and labor overcome legislative or policy hurdles.

The Blue Carbon 101 course explains how carbon markets work, from what a “carbon credit” is, through how they are produced and traded, and why some sell for higher prices than others. It includes chapters on Introduction to Mangrove Ecosystems, Greenhouse Gases, Carbon Sequestration and Storage, Blue Carbon Offsetting, Implementing Mangrove Carbon Projects, Article 6 and NDCs.

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) contain the strategies and targets of countries worldwide to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Activities to reach their goals are widespread and range from scaling-up renewable energy infrastructure to restoring carbon storing ecosystems such as forests, mangroves, or blue carbon ecosystems. The inclusion of blue carbon ecosystems in NDCs indicates the country’s intention to accelerate the conservation and restoration of mangroves, seagrass, and salt marsh.

The Fair Carbon blue carbon project map allows easy discovery of publicly registered blue carbon projects across multiple voluntary carbon market registries. Projects in development, undergoing validation and fully accredited are all shown. Pre-registration and concept stage sites are omitted unless the project proponent specifically requests inclusion.

This document provides an overview of the main international frameworks and conventions that address the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of coastal blue carbon ecosystems. Some of these frameworks and conventions specifically include coastal blue carbon ecosystems as part of their Parties’ commitments, while others guide action towards other objectives that are strictly interconnected with coastal blue carbon ecosystems, such as the conservation of critical habitats and specific ecosystem types.

The nations of the Indian Ocean host a substantial proportion of the world’s blue forests and meadows (for example, together they contain almost half of the world’s mangrove forests), but they also include hotspots where the rate of loss of these ecosystems is greatest.

With Dr. Frida Sidik, a researcher at the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Indonesia.

A review of three blue carbon offset credit projects for seagrass meadows, macroalgal beds, and macroalgae farming implemented in Japan.

This training module provides participants with an introduction to the concept of blue carbon, or the carbon stored and sequestered by coastal marine habitats such as seagrass beds, mangroves, and tidal saltmarshes.

Two self-paced modules (Mangrove Mapping for Managers; Mangrove Mapping for Technicians) developed by the Commonwealth Secretariat tailored towards Commonwealth government officials and citizens with an interest in learning about: Why map mangroves; The importance of mapping for policy development; Functionality of GIS mapping tools; Strengths and weaknesses of different software options

The Plan Vivo Standard is a set of requirements used to certify smallholder and community projects based on their climate, livelihoods and environmental benefits. It is the longest-standing carbon Standard in the Voluntary Carbon Market.

ArcGIS Story Map by the Blue Carbon Lab on the Victorian Coastal Wetland Restoration Program in the state of Victoria, Australia.

This video features a virtual panel session and provides an overview of the different funding paths for blue carbon conservation and restoration activities, including the international carbon market, non-market mechanisms and innovative finance.

The Inventory of Global Blue Carbon Actors which lists the main players in the blue carbon field including intergovernmental agencies, non-governmental organization or global initiative.

Seagrass has been the main blue carbon ecosystem focus for the Coastal Wetlands and Climate Change Project since the project began in January 2020. There have been many community activities throughout the project and the team wanted to ensure it was captured, especially the approval of creole words for Seagrass and its 5 life forms.

This video features a virtual panel session and provides an overview of the different types of blue carbon projects, i.e., conservation and various types of restoration, present methods, best practices and lessons learnt for the implementation of blue carbon restoration or conservation projects, which were designed to lead to carbon credits.

The State of the World’s Mangroves provides the very latest information on what we know about mangroves and what’s being done to support these magnificent habitats.

Opportunities and recommendations for the US Administration and Congress prepared by Restore America’s Estuaries.

ArcGIS Story Map by the US NOAA Marine Protected Areas Center showing how MPAs support climate resilience, mitigation and adaptation.

An overview of blue carbon ecosystems and how they contribute to climate mitigation and adaptation.

A podcast series on the reasons to invest in the ocean.

An introduction to the blue carbon initiatives being advanced in Japan.

Massive wildfires, typhoons, heatwaves, and snowstorms caused by global warming have become almost a part of daily life and can be seen easily around the globe. Korea is not immune to such effects of global warming. In Korea, the rate of warming accelerated in recent years, with the average temperature rise for the past 30 years reaching 1.4°C, and the warming is expected to pick up more speed in the coming years.

The enhanced update of the first NDC of the Republic of Korea is set at the most ambitious level possible to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 despite the country’s manufacturing-oriented industry structure.

The Blue Carbon Policy Training Course is designed to equip policy makers with the knowledge and skills to identify and develop blue carbon initiatives and projects. The course includes 8 engaging and accessible modules that build key capabilities through self-paced learning, recorded webinars, practical activities, and reflection questions.

This methodology outlines procedures to quantify net greenhouse gas emission reductions and removals resulting from project activities implemented to restore tidal wetlands.

Advice on reporting emissions and removal from management of blue carbon ecosystems.

ArcGIS Story Map by the US NOAA Marine Protected Areas Center based on the report “Blue Carbon in Marine Protected Areas (Part 1 and Part 2)”.

Proceedings of the 2021 International Symposium of Blue Carbon at the PEMSEA East Asian Seas (EAS) Congress 2021 and 2021 World Ocean Week in Xiamen, China.

This manual intends to provide knowledge-based guidance for developing project-based interventions using the carbon finance mechanisms to improve seagrass and coastal wetland conditions for climate change mitigation and adaptation. Complementary to this, it can be used for other interventions such as addressing how to robustly quantify blue carbon stocks to identify gains and losses and inform national greenhouse gas inventories.

Module 5 looks at climate finance and carbon markets, and how these are relevant to blue carbon.

This document provides an overview of the main international frameworks and conventions that address the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of coastal blue carbon ecosystems.

By incorporating coastal wetland (or blue carbon) ecosystems into National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (NGGIs), countries can improve the continual monitoring and reporting of the condition of these ecosystems and recognise the valuable contribution they provide to climate change mitigation and adaptation.

This study reports current organic carbon stocks and sequestration rates in the coastal areas of West Sea, South Sea, and East Sea of South Korea, encompassing entire intertidal areas using long-term field survey combined with remote sensing technology.

A campanha Mães do Mangue tem como ponto de partida as histórias de vida das mulheres extrativistas, da costa amazônica paraense, que tem os manguezais como lugar de orgulho e pertencimento. Elas e suas famílias têm uma atuação fundamental para mitigar a crise climática, propondo soluções comunitárias e se tornando verdadeiras guardiãs dos mangues brasileiros.

This book highlights the milestones achieved over the 17 years of restoration of mangrove forests in Perancak Estuary, Indonesia (2004-2021). It also provides a synopsis of research and observation, public outreach and other activities related to mangrove ecosystem in the Indonesian Institute of Marine Research and Observation since 2004.

A report prepared by TBD Economics LLC and the Center for the Blue Economy.

This is a case study of the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, USA, which is part of a series to inform and guide MPA managers in the assessment, protection, and management of blue carbon habitats and processes.

This review is Part 1 of a series to inform and guide MPA managers in the assessment, protection, and management of blue carbon habitats and processes.

A factsheet on how the Convention on Wetlands supports the restoration of marine and coastal wetlands.

A peer-reviewed article in Conservation Biology on the impact of a standardized small‐scale fisheries management intervention – Rare’s ‘Fish Forever’ program.

Prepared by the Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP) of the Convention on Wetlands, this Briefing Note describes the spatial extent, ecological characteristics and condition of coastal blue carbon ecosystems across Ramsar sites.

With Lola Fatoyinbo, physical scientist in the Biospheric Sciences Laboratory at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center; Steven Paton, Director of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute’s physical monitoring program; and Rosa Maria Roman-Cuesta, CIFOR’s tropical forest ecologist.

CIFOR Principal Scientist Daniel Murdiyarso and Matt McLuckie, director of Investor Relations at Planet Tracker explore the longstanding clash between mangrove conservation efforts and the aquaculture industry.

Tres científicos: Rosa Román de CIFOR, Miguel Cifuentes de CATIE y Jorge Herrera de CINVESTAD responden diez preguntas que aclaran la situación de los manglares en la región y el mundo, sus desafíos y oportunidades.

Webinars and training videos from the IORA Blue Carbon Hub.

A literature review of the science of changing behaviour for environmental outcomes.

This methodology provides a set of modules for various components of a methodology for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD). This methodology is applicable to forest lands, forested wetlands, forested peatlands and tidal wetlands that would be deforested or degraded in the absence of the project activity.

With Daniel Murdiyarso, CIFOR’s Principal Scientist, at UNFCCC COP25.

This white paper provides guidance to companies looking to adopt and scale nature-based solutions within their organizations.

A guide providing policy-makers with a checklist of information and accounting that is needed to fully consider nature as a part of a country’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the Paris Agreement, plus national case studies and policy recommendations.

In this study, sedimentary organic matters in the typical intertidal areas of South Korea were investigated to address year-round monthly distributions and site-specific sources.

This toolkit for practitioners comprises 15 behavioural strategies and numerous case studies.

This document serves as a complement to Rare’s literature review on behavior change interventions specific to the environmental sector, by covering the how of behavioral design.

This report examines natural climate solutions in the context of carbon finance, corporate investment and land sector offsets.

Worksheet (A3 – 2 pages) of the IPBC “Blue Carbon Policy Assessment Activity”.

A template for undertaking an assessment of the policy conditions impacting the health and resilience of coastal blue carbon ecosystems, and identifying pathways to ensure their long-term conservation for climate action.

Resolution XIII.20 of the 13th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands “Wetlands for a Sustainable Urban Future” (Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 21-29 October 2018).

Resolution XIII.14 of the 13th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands “Wetlands for a Sustainable Urban Future” (Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 21-29 October 2018).

A template for undertaking an assessment of the policy conditions impacting the health and resilience of coastal blue carbon ecosystems.

An A3 size worksheet to record information during a blue carbon assessment session

The Wetlands Supplement was scoped following recommendations from the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice of the UNFCCC in 2010 and 2011 when gaps in the
2006 Guidelines were identified.

This document describes the outcomes of a workshop held by the International Partnership for Blue Carbon and University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, July 2018 that addressed the implementation of the IPCC 2013 Wetlands Supplement.

This methodology outlines procedures to estimate the reduction of net greenhouse gas emissions resulting from project activities implemented to rewet drained peatlands in temperate climatic regions. It allows for the estimation of GHG emissions from drained and rewetted peatlands and also accounts for changes in carbon stocks in selected non-peat carbon pools.

This report seeks to better understand the status of coastal blue carbon ecosystems in East Asia and raise awareness of the opportunities to include improved management of these ecosystems within climate mitigation and adaptation actions and commitments, including opportunities to access new forms of financing.

This policy brief outlines how Parties have included coastal blue carbon ecosystems in their INDCs and NDCs (first round).

A manual for using the VCS Methodology for Tidal Wetland and Seagrass Restoration (VM0033).

This guidance document supports policy makers, coastal management practitioners and civil society organizations in designing projects and activities in coastal wetlands that synergize adaptation and mitigation objectives.

Manual by the Blue Carbon Initiative aimed at standardizing protocols for sampling methods, laboratory measurements, and analysis of blue carbon stocks and fluxes.

The Wetlands Supplement extends the content of the “2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories” by filling gaps in the coverage and providing updated information reflecting scientific advances, including updating of emission factors.

Guidelines produced by the Blue Carbon Initiative to support countries with technical guidance on the multiple avenues for including blue carbon ecosystems within their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Agreement.

This module is part of VM0007 and allows for estimating carbon stock changes and GHG emissions related to unplanned deforestation and unplanned wetland degradation in the baseline scenario.

Peer-reviewed publications and reports by the Blue Carbon Initiative.