Realising Madagascar’s full blue carbon potential

Project 14 of 42

Overview

Blue Ventures initiated the blue forests programme, which is primarily focussed on REDD+ for mangroves. REDD+ is the reduction of emissions from deforestation and degradation, plus other measures to restore, enhance and conserve forest stocks. Simply put, it encompasses a wide range of measures that aim to stop the loss of tropical forest.

Blue Ventures is working to put in the foundations so that coastal communities can meaningfully participate in REDD+ and gain an equitable share of the benefits. Presently our focus is both on developing community participation and capacity for REDD+, and on carrying out applied research, so that we can build robust REDD+ projects

Blue Venture’s research has two main emphases:

1. Quantification of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions that can be achieved by mangrove REDD+

Remote sensing analysis of the historical changes in mangrove forest cover
Carbon stock measurements within mangroves zzAnalysis of the drivers and underlying causes of mangrove loss
Modelling of future mangrove cover changes

2. Social impacts of mangrove REDD+

What will be the negative impacts of REDD+ on mangrove-dependent communities?
How can we design projects that avoid these negative impacts and ensure that REDD+ brings equitable, lasting benefits and meaningful development to communities?
How we can establish legal user and carbon rights for mangrove-dependent communities? (Source: Blue Ventures 2012).