BlueC
- Title:
-
BlueC: Investigating Ireland’s Blue Carbon Potential Through a Scientific, Socio-economic and Legislative Approach
- Start Date:
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1st June 2022
- End Date:
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31st May 2027
- Funding Body
-
Marine Institute and EPA
- Coordinator:
-
Dr. Grace Cott, University College Dublin
- Project Partners
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University College Dublin, University of Galway and MaREI-UCC
- Principal Investigators
-
Dr Grace Cott in UCD (or Dr Anne Marie O’Hagan in UCC)
- Website
Introduction
Coastal and marine systems play a major role in the global carbon cycle, representing the largest long-term sink of Carbon (C). Ireland has two Blue Carbon (BC) habitats: saltmarsh and seagrass meadows, and a vast maritime territory containing potential BC systems, such as carbon-rich macroalgae, maërl, cold water corals, phytoplankton and sediments. There is a lack of data on the carbon storage capacity of these ecosystems in Ireland as well as a lack of coherent management strategies, which hampers the ability to integrate these ecosystems into wider biodiversity protection and climate policy frameworks.
Aim
The overarching aim of the BlueC project is to advance scientific understanding of the carbon dynamics of Irish coastal and marine environments, whilst simultaneously improving their management and harnessing their potential for climate mitigation, adaptation and other ecosystem services to underpin policy development.
UCC lead the work on planning, management and legislation applicable to Blue Carbon habitats. The objectives of this work will be to provide policy advice on appropriate and effective management, regulation and use of selected currently designated and non-designated BC ecosystems. Guidance will be developed for national policymakers and local planners to assist them in incorporating blue carbon considerations into their respective policies to ensure long-term protection. This could include expanding policy advice to inform future Marine Protected Area (MPA) designations and wider Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP). Finally the potential to include blue carbon systems in Ireland and the EU’s reporting requirements in response to climate change (Paris Agreement/NDCs) will be explored.
Work Packages
Work Package 1: Coordination and Project Management
Work Package 2: Carbon dynamics in saltmarsh ecosystems
Work Package 3: Carbon dynamics and accumulation in seagrass ecosystems
Work Package 4: Establishment of long-term monitoring site and assessment of threats
Work Package 5: Evaluation of potential Blue Carbon systems (pBCE) and carbon hotspots, with research recommendations
Work Package 6: Ecosystem service values from Irish BC habitats
Work Package 7: Planning, management and legislation
