International Blue Carbon Institute established
in Singapore
L to R: Dr. Emily Pidgeon, Vice President, Ocean Science and Innovation at Conservation International, Mr Carlos Eduardo Correa, Former Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia, Dr. Michael Falkowski, Program Scientist, Terrestrial Ecology Program at NASA and Mr. Jamey Mulligan Head of Carbon Neutralization Science & Strategy at Amazon. Image © COP27 Singapore Pavilion
At the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), Amazon and CI announced the establishment of the International Blue Carbon Institute (IBCI). The Institute will help mitigate climate change and protect coastal communities by supporting the restoration and protection of coastal blue carbon ecosystems in Southeast Asia and beyond.
Did you know that blue carbon is a secret weapon in fighting climate change, and that one-third of blue carbon ecosystems are in Southeast Asia? To preserve and protect these ecosystems in the region and beyond, Amazon is launching the International Blue Carbon Institute in Singapore together with Conservation International, and with support from the Singapore Economic Development Board. Watch the video to find out more about blue carbon, and read more about the Institute at www.aboutamazon.sg/news/sustainability/amazon-and-conservation-international-establish-the-international-blue-carbon-institute-in-singapore.
Blue carbon is the carbon stored in coastal and marine ecosystems, such as mangroves, seagrasses and tidal marshes. These ecosystems sequester and store large quantities of carbon in both the plants and the sediment below and due to this, is recognized as an essential part of the solution to global climate change.
The IBCI will be housed in Singapore and will focus on supporting Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands in realizing their immense blue carbon potential. Southeast Asia holds over one-third of the world’s mangrove forests, however, the greatest loss of mangrove forest has also occurred in this region. Regionally, in Asia through to the Pacific Islands, coastal communities are increasingly vulnerable to sea-level rise and stronger storms. Blue carbon ecosystems fortify communities against climate effects while providing fresh water, supporting biodiversity and other natural benefits.
The IBCI, with support from the Singapore Economic Development Board, will serve as a knowledge hub to build capacity, expertise, standards and methodology to develop and scale urgently needed blue carbon projects.
The Institute will work with governments across Southeast Asia and the Pacific to integrate blue carbon into climate change mitigation policies at international, regional and local levels. It will expand education for practitioners, policymakers and communities to access the latest scientific knowledge, standards, best practices and resources on blue carbon projects. The Institute will also partner with academic institutions, NGOs, private sector and governments to develop key tools for advancing blue carbon, including carbon credit methodologies and standards, policy frameworks and field techniques.
In the first year, this will include focusing on building tools to support science-based restoration of blue carbon ecosystems, developing key guidance on blue carbon in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and expanding the knowledge related to the climate value of seagrasses and kelp ecosystems.