Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Communities and blue carbon: the role of traditional management systems in providing benefits for carbon storage, biodiversity conservation and livelihoods

  • Published:
Climatic Change Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Blue carbon refers to the considerable amounts of carbon sequestered by mangroves, seagrass beds, tidal marshes and other coastal and marine vegetated ecosystems. At the present time, carbon market mechanisms to compensate those conserving blue carbon ecosystems, and thus reducing carbon emissions, are not yet in place. The ecosystem services provided by coastal vegetated ecosystems extend beyond their carbon storage capacity, and include their contribution to fishery production; shoreline protection; provision of habitat for wildlife and migratory species; flood water attenuation; nutrient cycling, pollution buffering; as well as their cultural, spiritual, subsistence and recreational uses. Because these services are of high economic, social and cultural value, the management and protection of blue carbon ecosystems could build collaboration between climate change and biodiversity practitioners on the national and international level. Such collaboration would also allow for the transfer of lessons learned from coastal management and conservation activities to carbon mitigation projects, and would include the need to work closely together with indigenous peoples and local communities. Resulting management activities on the local level could utilize and strengthen traditional knowledge and management systems related to blue carbon ecosystems, and increase both the resilience of biodiversity and that of coastal communities, as well as provide for long-term storage of blue carbon. While the challenge of scaling up local initiatives remains, some concrete examples already exist, such as the network of locally-managed marine areas (LMMAs) in the Pacific and beyond.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) is an effort to create a financial value for the carbon stored in forests, offering incentives for developing countries to reduce emissions from forested lands and invest in low-carbon paths to sustainable development (UN, 2013).

  2. “REDD+” goes beyond deforestation and forest degradation, and includes the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks (UN, 2013).

References

  • ACIA (2005) Arctic climate impact assessment. Cambridge University Press. 1042 p. www.acia.uaf.edu. Accessed 23/03/2013

  • Agardy T (2000) Information needs for marine protected areas: scientific and societal. Bull Mar Sci 66(3):875–888

    Google Scholar 

  • Altman JC (2005) The Indigenous hybrid economy: A realistic sustainable option for remote communities? Paper presented to the Australian Fabian Society, ANU, Melbourne

  • Altman JC, Kerins S (2012) People on country: vital landscapes, indigenous futures. The Federation Press, Annandale

    Google Scholar 

  • Barbier EB, Hacker SD, Kennedy C, Koch EW, Stier AC et al (2011) The value of estuarine and coastal ecosystem services. Ecol Monogr 81:169–193

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berkes F, Colding J, Folke C (2000) Rediscovery of traditional ecological knowledge as adaptive management. Ecol Appl 10:1251–1262

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity) (2006) Decision V/6 Ecosystem Approach. A decision adopted by the Fifth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, Nairobi, Kenya,15–26 May 2000

  • Chmura GL, Anisfeld SC, Cahoon DR, Lynch JC (2003) Global carbon sequestration in tidal, saline wetland soils. Global Biogeochem Cycles 17(4):1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crooks S, Herr D, Tamelander J, Laffoley D, and Vandever J (2011) Mitigating climate change through restoration and management of coastal wetlands and near-shore marine ecosystems: challenges and opportunities. Environment Department Paper 121, World Bank, Washington, DC

  • Donato DC et al (2011) Mangroves among the most carbon-rich forests in the tropics. Nat Geosci 4:293–297

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Drew JA (2005) Use of traditional knowledge in marine conservation. Conserv Biol 19(4):1286–1293

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) (2007) The World’s Mangroves 1980–2005. FAO, Rome

    Google Scholar 

  • Ghazoul J, Butler R, Mateo-Vega J, Koh LP (2010) REDD: a reckoning of environment and development implications. Trends Ecol Evol 25:396–402

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gilchrist G, Mallory M, Merkel F (2005) Can local ecological knowledge contribute to wildlife management? Case studies of migratory birds. Ecol Soc 10(1):20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gordon D, Murray BC, Pendleton L, Victor B (2011) Financing options for Blue Carbon: opportunities and lessons from the REDD + Experience. Report NI R 11–11, Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, Duke University, Durham. Online at: http://nicholasinstitute.duke.edu/sites/default/files/publications/financing-options-for-blue-carbon-paper.pdf. Accessed 23/03/2012

  • Govan H (2009) Achieving the potential of locally managed marine areas in the South pacific. SPC Traditional Marine Res Manag Knowledge Info Bull 25:16–25

    Google Scholar 

  • Govan H et al. (2009) Status and potential of locally-managed marine areas in the South Pacific: Meeting nature conservation and sustainable livelihood targets through wide-spread implementation of LMMAs. SPREP/WWF/WorldFish-Reefbase/CRISP. 95pp + 5 annexes

  • Griffiths T (2008) Seeing ‘REDD’? Forests, climate change mitigation and the rights of indigenous peoples. The Peoples Programme, UK. 63 pp. Online at http://dspace.cigilibrary.org/jspui/bitstream/123456789/26084/1/Seeing%20REDD%20-%20Forests%20Climate%20Change%20Mitigation%20and%20the%20Rights%20of%20Indigenous%20Peoples%20and%20Local%20Communities.pdf?1. Accessed 21/03/2013

  • Halpern BS et al (2008) A global map of human impacts on marine ecosystems. Science 319:948–952

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hay K (2000) Final report of the Inuit bowhead knowledge study. Nunavut Wildlife Management Board, Iqaluit

    Google Scholar 

  • Herr D, Pidgeon E, Laffoley D (eds) (2012) Blue carbon policy framework: based on the discussion of the international blue carbon policy working group. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Arlington Conservation International, Virginia: Conservation International, Gland

    Google Scholar 

  • Hickey FR and Johannes RE (2002) Recent evolution of village-based marine resource management in Vanuatu. SPC Traditional Marine Resource Management and Knowledge Information Bulletin, No. 14, pp. 8–21. Available online at www.spc.int/coastfish/News/Trad/trad.htm. Accessed 24/04/2013/

  • Hunt J, Altman JC and May K (2009) Social benefits of Aboriginal engagement in natural resource management. Working Paper No. 60Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, ANU

  • Huntington HP (2000) Using traditional ecological knowledge in science: methods and applications. Ecol Appl 10(5):1270–1274

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Irving AD, Connell SD, Russell BD (2011) Restoring coastal plants to improve global carbon storage: Reaping what we sow. PLoS ONE 6:e18311

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jit JN (2007) Status of sea turtle conservation in Fiji: An assessment of the international, regional and national focus. A supervised research project presented in partial fulfilment of the degree of Master in Arts (Marine Studies). School of Marine Studies, University of South Pacific

  • Johannes RE (1981) Working with fishermen to improve coastal tropical fisheries and resource management. Bull Mar Sci 31:673–680

    Google Scholar 

  • Lotze HK, Lenihan HS, Bourque BJ, Bradbury RH, Cooke RG, Kay MC, Kidwell SM, Kirby MX, Peterson CH, Jackson JBC (2006) Depletion, degradation, and recovery potential of estuaries and coastal seas. Science 312:1806–1809

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mateo MA, Romero J, Perez MM, Littler DS (1997) Dynamics of millenary organic deposits resulting from the growth of the Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica. Estuarine Coastal Shelf Sci 44:103–110

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCay BJ, Jones PJS (2011) Marine protected areas and the governance of marine ecosystems and fisheries. Conserv Biol 25(6):1130–1133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MEA (2005) The millennium ecosystem assessment. Online at http://www.unep.org/maweb/en/index.aspx. Accessed 23/03/2012

  • Mora C and Sale PF (2011) Ongoing global biodiversity loss and the need to move beyond protected areas: a review of the technical and practical shortcomings of protected areas on land and sea. Marine Ecology Progress Series 434: 251–266

  • Murray, BC, Watt, CE, Cooley, DM and Pendleton, LH et al. (2012) Coastal Blue Carbon and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change: Current Status and Future Directions. Policy Brief NI PB 12–01. Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, Duke University, Durham. Online at http://nicholasinstitute.duke.edu/sites/default/files/publications/coastal-blue-carbon-and-the-unfccc-paper.pdf. Accessed 23/03/20130

  • Nellemann C, Corcoran E, Duarte CM, Valdes L, DeYoung C, et al. (Eds) (2009). Blue Carbon. A Rapid Response Assessment. United Nations Environment Programme, GRID-Arendal Online at http://dev.grida.no/RRAbluecarbon/pdfs/update/BlueCarbon_print12.10.09.pdf. Accessed 23/03/2013

  • Orth RJ, Carruthers TJB, Dennison WC, Duarte CM, Fourqurean JW et al (2006) A global crisis for seagrass ecosystems. Bioscience 56:987–996

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pendleton L, Donato DC, Murray BC, Crooks S, Jenkins WA, Sifleet S, Craft C, Fourqurean JW, Kauffman JB, Marba N, Megonigal P, Pidgeon E, Herr D, Gordon D, Baldera A (2012) Estimating Global “Blue Carbon” Emissions from conversion and degradation of vegetated coastal ecosystems. PLoS ONE 7(9):1–7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ruddle K, Hickey FR (2008) Accounting for the mismanagement of tropical nearshore fisheries. Environ Dev Sustain 10(5):565–589

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharp N (2002) Saltwater people: the waves of memory. Allen and Unwin, Sydney

    Google Scholar 

  • Siikamäki J, Sanchirico JN, Jardine SL (2012) Global economic potential for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from mangrove loss. PNAS 109(36):14369–14374

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smyth D (2005) Dugong and marine turtle knowledge handbook: indigenous and scientific knowledge of turtles and marine turtles in Northern Australia, North Australian indigenous land and sea management. Alliance, Darwin

    Google Scholar 

  • UN (2013) About REDD+. UN-REDD programme website. http://www.unredd.org/AboutREDD/tabid/102614/Default.aspx. Accessed 5 Oct 2013

  • UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) (2006) Marine and coastal ecosystems and human wellbeing: A synthesis report based on the findings of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. UNEP, Nairobi, Kenya.

  • Valiela I, Bowen JL, York JK (2001) Mangrove Forests: One of the world’s threatened major tropical environments. Bioscience 51:807–815

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van de Velde R, Stirling I, Richardson E (2003) Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) dinning in the area of Simpson Peninsula, Nunavut. Arctic 56:191–197

    Google Scholar 

  • Vichkovitten T, Holmer M (2005) Dissolved and particulate organic matter in contrasting Zostera marina (eelgrass) sediments. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 316:183–201

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vierros M, Tawake A, Hickey F, Tiraa A, Noa R (2010) Traditional marine management areas of the pacific in the context of national and international law and policy. United Nations University—Traditional Knowledge Initiative, Darwin

    Google Scholar 

  • Waycott M, Duarte CM, Carruthers TJB, Orth RJ, Dennison WC et al (2009) Accelerating loss of seagrasses across the globe threatens coastal ecosystems. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 106:12377–12381

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wild R, McLeod C (eds) (2008) Sacred natural sites: guidelines for protected area managers. IUCN, Gland

    Google Scholar 

  • Wohling M (2009) The problem of scale in indigenous knowledge: a perspective from northern Australia. Ecol Soc 14(1):1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Worm B et al (2006) Impacts of biodiversity loss on ocean ecosystem services. Science 314:787–790

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yagi N, Takagi T, Takada Y, Kurokura H (2010) Marine protected areas in Japan: Institutional Background and Management Framework. Marine Policy 34:1300–06

  • Yagi N (2011) Satoumi and institutional characteristics of Japanese coastal fishery management. In: United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies Operating Unit Ishikawa/Kanazawa (2011). Biological and Cultural Diversity in Coastal Communities, Exploring the Potential of Satoumi for Implementing the Ecosystem Approach in the Japanese Archipelago. Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Montreal, Technical Series no. 61

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. UNU TKI, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

    Marjo Vierros

Authors
  1. Marjo Vierros
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marjo Vierros.

Additional information

This article is part of a Special Issue on “Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation with Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples” edited by Kirsty Galloway McLean, Ameyali Ramos Castillo, Edwin Castellanos, and Aqqaluk Lynge.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vierros, M. Communities and blue carbon: the role of traditional management systems in providing benefits for carbon storage, biodiversity conservation and livelihoods. Climatic Change 140, 89–100 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-013-0920-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-013-0920-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation