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Green Carbon
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- Green carbon, accumulated through photosynthesis and stored in plants and soil, is integral to the global carbon cycle.
- Unlike many plants and crops that release carbon seasonally, forests store carbon over decades. Measures like afforestation and reforestation can enhance biological carbon sequestration.
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Blue Carbon
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- Blue Carbon, found in coastal, aquatic, and marine environments, is stored by specific vegetation, marine organisms, and sediments.
- Coastal ecosystems, such as tidal marshes, mangroves, and seagrasses, efficiently remove and store carbon, surpassing even large tropical forests.
- These ecosystems store significant carbon, up to five times more than many forests, and are present on every continent except Antarctica.
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Why is the Blue Carbon Ecosystem Important?
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- Blue Carbon Ecosystems play a crucial role in combating climate change.
- These coastal environments, including mangroves, tidal marshes, and seagrasses, act as nature’s carbon storage by absorbing and holding onto carbon dioxide.
- Preventing the destruction of these ecosystems and working to restore them is vital in the fight against climate change.
Unfortunately, these coastal ecosystems are disappearing rapidly, posing a threat to the planet. When lost, they not only stop absorbing carbon dioxide but also release stored carbon back into the atmosphere. This released carbon contributes to climate change, with effects that can last for centuries.
To address this issue, there’s the Blue Carbon Initiative. It’s a global program with a coordinated plan to protect and restore these coastal marine ecosystems.
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Blue Carbon Initiative
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The Blue Carbon Initiative is a unique program, the first of its kind, with a worldwide plan to tackle climate change. It focuses on protecting and restoring coastal areas in the ocean, making it a big effort globally. The main goal is to use these natural places as a way to reduce the impact of climate change.
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International Cooperation
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Conservation International (CI), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the Intergovernmental Oceanic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO are working together with governments, research institutions, non-governmental and international organizations, and communities worldwide to:
- Develop Plans: Create ways to manage, provide financial support, and make policies to protect and restore coastal Blue Carbon ecosystems.
- Engage Governments: Talk to local, national, and international governments to ensure their policies and rules support the conservation, management, and funding of coastal Blue Carbon.
- Carbon Accounting: Figure out ways to accurately measure the carbon in coastal areas.
- Incentive Mechanisms: Come up with ways, like paying for carbon projects, to encourage the protection of Blue Carbon.
- Global Projects: Start projects all around the world to show that managing and protecting coastal Blue Carbon can work.
- Support Research: Help scientists study and understand the role and importance of coastal Blue Carbon ecosystems in fighting climate change.
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