Coastal ecosystems

Coastal blue carbon ecosystems, including mangroves, seagrasses and target_idal marshes, are some of the most carbon-rich ecosystems on Earth, and are vital to mitigating the impacts of climate change. They are also critical for coastal biodiversity, food security, livelihoods and human well-being, in addition to climate adaptation – protecting millions of people globally from the impacts of storms, coastal flooding and erosion.

Aquaculture production has very significantly increased in tonnage and value over the last decades. It is seen as a potential solution to replace the declining wild fishery stocks.

This policy brief examines the existing Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) and ratified National Determined Contributions (NDCs) with regard to the inclusion of specific efforts addressing blue carbon ecosystems, namely mangroves, target_idal saltmarshes and seagrasses, as climate mitigation or adaptation solutions.

Suite au 1er volume « contexte et enjeux » des services écologiques, le Comité français de l’UICN publie 6 brochures présentant les services écologiques fournis par 6 grands types d’écosystèmes français (métropole et outre-mer) présentés selon les 4 catégories définies dans le Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (support, approvisionnement, régulation et culturel).

The 2012 report card highlights three focal sections: existing and emerging threats to reef health an assessment on the current state of the reef and social context; highlights of reef conservation actions across the region, including the prioritized recommendations to foster healthy reefs and healthy people.

This publication is a result of Blue Solutions’ second Regional Forum on Solutions for Oceans, Coasts and Human Well-being in Latin America and the Wider Caribbean Region. This four-day workshop was held in Cancún, Mexico in April 2015.

The value and role of mangroves, saltmarshes and seagrasses for climate change mitigation was established back in 2009 by reports by IUCN and UNEP to focus attention on addressing a critical gap in national carbon accounting and management.