Tropical blue carbon: solutions and perspectives for valuations of carbon sequestration

Frontiers in Climate

Climate

Salpie Djoundourian¹  Sandra Cassotta²  Christine Ferrier-Pagès³  Denis Allemand³  Nathalie Hilmi⁴  Maryann Mathew⁴  Maria Belen Benitez Carranco⁴  David Broussard⁴  Samir Maliki⁵  Florence Descroix-Comanducci⁶  Jason M. Hall-Spencer⁷  Alain Safa⁸  Claude Berthomieu⁹ 

[1] Department of Economics, Adnan Kassar School of Business, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon;Department of Law, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark;Department of Marine Biology, Centre Scientifique de Monaco (CSM), Monaco, Monaco;Environnemental Economics, Centre Scientifique de Monaco (CSM), Monaco, Monaco;Faculty of Economics and Management, University of Tlemcen, Tlemcen, Algeria;IAEA Marine Environment Laboratories, Monaco, Monaco;School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom;Université Côte d'Azur, IAE Nice, GRM, Nice, France;Université Côte d'Azur, MSHS Sud-Est, Nice, France;

关键词: tropical blue carbon;    ecosystem services;    conservation;    restoration;    market-based solutions;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fclim.2023.1169663

 received in 2023-02-19, accepted in 2023-05-30,  发布年份 2023

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Tropical marine ecosystems provide a wide range of provisioning, regulating, supporting and cultural services to millions of people. They also largely contribute to blue carbon sequestration. Mangroves, seaweeds, and seagrass habitats are important because they store large amounts of organic carbon while fish play a fundamental role in the carbon transport to deep waters. Protecting and restoring tropical marine ecosystems is of great value to society because their decline impairs the vital services they provide, such as coastal protection and seafood supplies. In this marine policy paper, we present options for enhancing blue carbon sequestration in tropical coastal areas. In addition, we outline the economic value of four components of coastal ecosystems (mangroves, seagrass beds, seaweed forests and fish) and discuss the economic levers society can apply to ensure the end of the current gross mismanagement of tropical blue carbon ecosystems. Market-based solutions, such as carbon taxes or fines for violations that use the ‘polluter pays' principle, can be very effective in achieving national or international climate agreements. Private investment can also finance the preservation of blue carbon ecosystems. One widely known financing method for blue carbon conservation, particularly of mangroves, is the use of municipal bonds, which can be issued like traditional bonds to finance the day-to-day obligations of cities, states and counties. Non-philanthropic investments can also be used in order to protect these ecosystems, such as debt-for-nature swaps and the improved application of regulatory frameworks. Overall, the protection of tropical marine ecosystems is an ecological imperative and should also be seen as an opportunity for new revenue streams and debt reduction for countries worldwide.

【 授权许可】

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Copyright © 2023 Hilmi, Benitez Carranco, Broussard, Mathew, Djoundourian, Cassotta, Safa, Maliki, Descroix-Comanducci, Allemand, Berthomieu, Hall-Spencer and Ferrier-Pagès.