I'd like to talk about carbon and the coasts. No, not about the disaster occurring in the Gulf of Mexico though, of course, all of us continue to watch with horror as this unprecedented environmental tragedy unfolds after the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon began spewing oil uncontrollably into the Gulf.

 

What I'm talking about is "blue carbon," biological carbon sequestered by marine living organisms, and the important role it plays in climate change by reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide. Our specific interest is in how the understanding of blue carbon can be integrated with, and further support, large-scale tidal wetlands restoration adaptation strategies.

 

Last month, Restore America's Estuaries convened a Blue Ribbon Panel to guide development of a greenhouse gas (GHG) offset protocol for tidal wetlands. Fourteen international experts on climate change, carbon sequestration, coastal science, governmental policy, and carbon investing met in San Francisco for three days--a two-day closed panel session followed by a one-day public stakeholder workshop--to set out guidelines that will be used to determine how effectively coastal wetlands store greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane. That information, in turn, will be used to develop a greenhouse gas offset protocol for wetland restoration projects.

 

A GHG protocol--one that standardizes the parameters for project design, management, and carbon-capture measurements-- will provide the basis to undertake effective coastal restoration projects that can receive carbon credits through commercial and voluntary markets. Moreover, it has the potential to drive corporate investment toward large-scale tidal wetlands projects for use as carbon offsets. These same projects, if strategically designed, can effectively help our shorelines adapt to climate impacts such as sea-level rise.

 

Restore America's Estuaries Blue Ribbon Panel preliminary report, "Action Plan for Developing a National Greenhouse Gas Offset Protocol for Tidal Wetlands," available later this summer, will set out a roadmap to help guide us toward a better understanding of where we need to go from here to understand the role of tidal wetlands as carbon sinks, and how they can help us mitigate climate change and sea-level rise. In essence, the Action Plan will tell us what we know now--the state of the science--and what we need to go forward.

What do know right now is that coastal wetlands are key components in protecting our coasts from rising sea levels, storm surge, and from pollution. They provide habitat and breeding space that ensure biodiversity. They are the engines of much of our economy. Now we can add to that list that all types of coastal wetlands--mudflats, mangroves, salt and tidal marshes, and even estuarine scrublands and forests, all sequester tremendous amounts of carbon, particularly carbon dioxide, one of the most potent greenhouse gases.

We know that we need coastal wetlands. They are irreplaceable.

Jeff Benoit

President and CEO

Restore America's Estuaries