C-BLUES attends the International Mangrove Conservation and Restoration Conference

C-BLUES is at the International Mangrove Conservation and Restoration Conference!

The conference spans four days from 10-13 December and is the first of its kind globally. The conference is jointly organised by the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi, the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, the UNEP, the Global Mangrove Alliance, the University of St. Andrews, the IUCN Mangrove Specialist Group, the Zoological Society of London, Wetlands International, and Emirates-Nature-WWF.

The conference is centred around four themes:

1. Restoration Best Practices and Innovation in Restoration and Monitoring

2. Integrated Seascape Approach and Habitat Connectivity

3. Mangroves in the Arabian Peninsula; a Regional Focus

4. Climate Mitigation and Adaptation through Conservation and Restoration

Representing C-BLUES in Abu Dhabi are Dimitris Poursanidis (FORTH) and Bill Austin (University of St Andrews). Bill was keynote speaker in the session on Climate Mitigation and Adaptation on Wednesday morning and gave a talk entitled “Blue carbon science: Evidence, policy, and credibility in conservation and restoration objectives”.

In his presentation, Bill introduced five blue carbon objectives which may advance national blue carbon commitments beyond general statements of inclusion within Nationally Determined Contributions. They are:

🌊to include blue carbon habitats in the national greenhouse gas inventory;

💲to encourage and enable investment in blue carbon habitats;

🌪to reduce the impacts of human and environmental pressures, including climate change risks, on these habitats;

🐟to manage habitats at the seascape scale, considering land and marine connectivity; and

🌎to achieve climate mitigation, adaptation, and biodiversity benefits from these blue carbon habitats as nature-based solutions.

The conference wraps up Friday 13 December with field trips to Jubail Mangrove Park and Yas Island Mangrove Site.

Bill and Dimitris at the conference with the brand new C-BLUES pamphlet