PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Certain coastal habitats such as marshes and seagrass meadows, including Neptune grass (Posidonia oceanica) meadows, are significant carbon sinks, both in terms of the intensity of gas sequestration and carbon deposits that are stored for thousands of years. Despite the importance of this, and other ecosystem services, these habitats are disappearing at a rate which is four times greater than terrestrial forests.
OBJECTIVES
The LIFE Blue Natura project’s main aim was to quantify the carbon deposits and the sequestration rates of marsh and seagrass meadow habitats in Andalusia. An emphasis was intended to be placed on what is accumulated under the ground or sea, as well as analysing predicted future developments, from the carbon loss rate, to potential carbon fixation and accumulation rates, and the emission/sequestration ratio of carbon from damaged meadow zones into the atmosphere.
This information would enable an approximate evaluation of the environmental services created by these habitats to be made. It should also encourage existing initiatives to finance conservation and restoration projects of blue carbon sink-habitats and the development of key policies for mitigating and adapting to climate change, with special attention to carbon emissions trading or carbon markets.
RESULTS
LIFE Blue Natura filled a scientific knowledge gap concerning the use of ‘blue carbon’ for climate change mitigation, through the evaluation of the carbon stock and fluxes of marsh and seagrass meadow habitats.
The project team quantified carbon deposits and sequestration rates of marsh and seagrass meadow habitats in Andalusia (Spain), to enable an approximate evaluation of the ecosystem services provided by these habitats. They developed key regulations, methodologies and standards that will allow the development of blue carbon offsetting projects centred on seagrass habitats.
This led to the creation of the first regional blue carbon standard, the Andalusian Blue Carbon Standard. It has been adopted by the regional administration and is included in the regional voluntary carbon registry, where it is available for use by interested organisations. The project team developed two pilot projects under the Andalusian Blue Carbon Standard.
The project team also encouraged dialogue at national level about how blue carbon habitats can be incorporated into the national Inventory of Greenhouse Gases, which will create a network of companies and organisations involved in the carbon trading market.
Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report (see "Read more" section).
