After one year of intense work, field missions across the Emirate and fruitful consultation with a broad range of supportive stakeholders, the Abu Dhabi Blue Carbon Demonstration Project comes to a close. Scientific assessments were produced that significantly enhance the understanding of the contribution of Blue Carbon ecosystems to the well-being of Abu Dhabi and its residents. Experts studied the geographic extent and carbon content of mangroves, salt marsh, seagrass, algal mats and sabkha, the other ecosystem services their provide, and the policy options and financial mechanisms that support their conservation.
Algal mats were discovered as a new ‘candidate’ Blue Carbon ecosystem specific to the region, and coastal sabkha was found to likely act as a Blue Carbon ‘associated’ ecosystem, capping stored carbon in the soil.
Overall the project found that incorporating the values of Blue Carbon and related ecosystem services into Abu Dhabi Emirate’s coastal and marine management policies and strategies is warranted and feasible, will help sustain the services Blue Carbon ecosystems provide for future generations and a growing Abu Dhabi.
The Abu Dhabi Blue Carbon Demonstration Project has also enhanced local capacity to better manage Blue Carbon ecosystems and provides exemplary lessons learned for regional and international replication and up-scaling.