What is “Coastal Blue
Carbon”?
A win-win-win for habitat conservation,
coastal resilience, and climate mitigation
Dr. Ariana Sutton-Grier
NOAA Coastal Blue Carbon Team Lead
May 21, 2014
Our Changing Carbon Cycle
Green Carbon
(terrestrial biota)
Black Carbon
(human
emissions)
Coastal
Blue Carbon
Coastal habitats:
Salt marshes
Mangroves
Sea Grasses
Blue Carbon
(coasts and oceans)
www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/story/Research
www.noaa.gov
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 2
Locations of Coastal Blue Carbon
• Coastal blue carbon is almost everywhere
Pendleton et al. 2012
What do coastal blue carbon habitats look like?
• Mangroves,
Salt Marsh,
and
Seagrasses
Coastal Habitats Sequester Carbon
• Smaller total
area, but
much greater
sequestration
in coastal
blue carbon
habitats
• Coastal
habitats
~equivalent
annual sink
to forest
systems
McLeod et al. 2011. Frontiers in Ecology and Environment
Coastal Habitats Store Carbon
In coastal habitats, most carbon is stored in
sediments and less in biomass
Boreal
~ Emissions
produced by 214
passenger
vehicles per year
Source: Murray, Brian, Linwood Pendleton, W. Aaron Jenkins, and Samantha Sifleet. 2011. Green Payments for Blue Carbon: Economic Incentives
for Protecting Threatened Coastal Habitats. Nicholas Institute Report. NI R 11-04.
Rapid Loss of Coastal Carbon Services
• From 2004-2009, U.S. coastal
watersheds lost wetlands at an
average rate of 80,000
acres/year
• Worldwide, rates of loss range
from 0.7 – 7% annually
• Coastal carbon emissions ~319% those of deforestation
annually (Pendleton et al. 2012)
What is the cost of blue carbon emissions?
Ecosystem
Global Extent
(Mha)
Current
Conversion
Rate
(% yr-1)
Near Surface
Susceptible
Carbon
(Mg CO2 ha-1)
Carbon
Emissions
(Pg CO2 yr-1)
Economic Cost
(Billion US$ yr -1)
Tidal Marsh
22-40
1.0-2.0
237-949
0.02-0.24
0.64-9.7
Mangroves
13.8-15.2
0.7-3.0
373-1492
0.09-0.45
3.6-18.5
Seagrass
17.7-60
0.4-2.6
131-522
0.05-0.33
1.9-13.7
0.15-1.02
(0.45)
6.1-41.9
Total
33.7-115.2
Assumes “social cost of carbon” = US$41/ton
Pendleton et al. 2012 PLoSOne
Pathways for Blue Carbon Services & Conservation
NOAA Policy Needs:
• Identification of policies that
should consider coastal carbon
• Procedures for how to
incorporate C services into
activities
Science Needs:
• Estimates of net C storage and
sequestration
• Areal extent of habitats & loss
rates
• Carbon dynamics of habitat
disturbance and restoration
Market Policy Needs:
• Protocols for GHG
accounting
• Carbon market protocols
Improve ability to
incorporate
carbon services
in programs and
policies
(e.g., mitigation
projects, NEPA,
UNFCCC)
Top half in blue is NOT
dependent on carbon
markets.
GOAL:
Enhanced
Conservation
of Coastal
Habitats
(e.g., salt marsh, sea
grass, and mangroves)
Additional
resources
through carbon
markets for
Bottom half in white
protection and
is dependent on
U.S. Department ofrestoration
Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 10
carbon markets. 10
Analysis of Federal Policies
• We explored:
1. Whether carbon
services of
ecosystems could be
incorporated into
the implementation
of federal policies?
2. If so, where would
carbon services work
in implementation?
Analysis of carbon services in federal policies
• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
• Natural Resources Damage Assessment (NRDA)
(part of the Oil Pollution Act)
• Clean Water Act (CWA) mitigations (404 (d)
permits)
• Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA)
• Endangered Species Act (ESA)
• Water Resources Principles and Guidelines (P&G)
Findings
• Determined: No new
regulations needed
• Coastal carbon could be
incorporated into the
implementation of all without
statutory changes, but is
currently not included
• Incorporation of carbon
services in these policies could
lead to more habitat
conservation
seagrassgrow.org
Sutton-Grier et al. 2014. Marine Policy &
Pendleton & Sutton-Grier et al. 2013. Coastal Management
Common Limitations
• Guidance and procedures for
estimating and valuing coastal
carbon
• Capacity and expertise needed to
quantify impacts of projects on
carbon storage and
sequestration
• Methodologies and tools for
measuring and valuing carbon
and expertise externally and
within Federal agencies
NOAA Coastal Blue Carbon Science Activities
• Waquoit Bay study at the National Estuarine
Research Reserve “Bringing Wetlands to
Market”
• Science to support including wetlands in
carbon markets to incentivize investment in
wetland restoration and preservation
NOAA International Coastal Blue Carbon Activities
• Supported the development of
a UNFCCC workshop on blue
carbon
• Lead agency in the Commission
on Environmental Cooperation
grant (2013-2015) to build a
North American community of
practice for blue carbon
• Supported the Global
Environment Facility “Blue
Forest” ecosystem services
project and member of the
project steering committee
Carbon Market Opportunities
Support Restore America’s Estuaries in their study of
opportunities for wetland carbon in voluntary carbon
markets:
• Identifying steps (methodology) to make protection
and restoration projects eligible for carbon trading
• Developing landscape assessment of restoration
potential of Snohomish estuary
• Full restoration of tidal and forested wetlands in watershed
would result in 4.4 million tons of CO2 equivalents being
sequestered (~annual emissions from 832,000 passenger cars)
• Developing and conducting regional workshops to
discuss coastal blue carbon concepts and opportunities
Next Steps
• Investigate incorporation of coastal blue
carbon into federal policies and practices that
increase coastal habitat conservation
• Current NEPA exploration, CEQ GHG Guidance, U.S. GHG
inventory process
• Explore additional opportunities to support
Coastal Blue Carbon Science
• E.g., Sea Grant funding, NERRS, Sentinel Sites, Sanctuaries,
LCCs
• Support and inform the UNFCCC negotiations
process
Other benefits of blue carbon habitats: Habitat
Other benefits of blue carbon habitats: Recreation
Other benefits of blue carbon habitats: Storm Protection
U.S. coastal
wetlands provide
$23.2 billion storm
protection benefits
annually
(Constanza et al., 2008)
Interest
in “green infrastructure” and “living
Interest in “green infrastructure” and “living shorelines” for storm protection
shorelines” for storm protection
• “Protecting the city,
before next time”
New York Times, Nov.
3, 2012
• Creative ecosystem
protection ideas for
NY
• Blue carbon habitats,
A LOT MORE THAN
JUST CARBON SINKS!
Blue Carbon: One more reason to love
the oceans and coasts!
Check out the NOS recent podcast on coastal blue carbon!
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/podcast/may14/mw124-bluecarbon.html
Questions?
ariana.sutton-grier@noaa.gov
amber.moore@noaa.gov
For more information see:
http://www.habitat.noaa.gov/coastalbluecarbon.html
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 24
Additional Slides
Additional Coastal Blue Carbon Info & Websites
• NOAA NERRS project
 http://wbnerrwetlands
carbon.net/
• UNEP Blue Carbon
Info Pages
 http://bluecarbonport
al.org/
 http://bluecarbonblog.
blogspot.com/
• GEF Blue Forests
Project
 http://www.grida.no/
marine/activities/bluecarbon.aspx