19 September 2024
NTS Bulletin September 2024
Sequestered Solutions: The Crucial Role of Blue Carbon Ecosystems in Southeast Asia
By Keith Paolo C. Landicho
Southeast Asia is home to some of the world’s largest blue carbon stocks, with 37% of the world’s mangroves and 23% of seagrass meadows, yet it is also experiencing alarming rates of loss. Yet from 2002 to 2012, 2.5 million hectares of mangroves have been lost, while seagrass meadows have been reduced by 20,000 hectares per annum, owing to several pressures such as coastal development, pollution, and rising sea levels. Moreover, the rapid degradation of these ecosystems poses a significant threat not only to biodiversity but also to the region’s ability to withstand climate-related natural hazards and mitigate climate change effectively, as these habitats are crucial for carbon sequestration.
Despite the immense potential of mangroves and coastal wetlands to capture or sequester carbon, there has been minimal progress in countries in Southeast Asia to recognise and protect these resources. Only Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam have recognised these ecosystems in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), a climate action plan to cut emissions and adapt to climate impacts, under the Paris Agreement. Even among these countries, only Timor-Leste and Vietnam acknowledge the ecosystems’ capacity as “carbon sinks” which absorb more carbon from the atmosphere than they release. As for the others, the mention of enhancing the protection, conservation, restoration, and preservation of these ecosystems is a step in the right direction.
Blue Carbon Ecosystems
Blue carbon refers to the carbon dioxide captured from the atmosphere by coastal and marine ecosystems like mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrasses. Blue carbon ecosystems are highly efficient in capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide in the biomass and sediments—up to ten times greater than tropical forests and three to five times more carbon per equivalent area than tropical forests.
Blue carbon ecosystems are also able to provide benefits such as coastal protection, habitat for marine life, and water filtration. In terms of protection, mangroves play a key role in suppressing wind and storm surge impacts on adjacent coastal communities. This was affirmed in a study conducted by Krauss and Osland (2019) and even considering the changing climate conditions by Blakespoor et al. (2017). In fact, a representative of Yagasu, an Indonesian non-governmental organisation, highlighted how a village in Aceh Besar district in Aceh province of Indonesia, suffered only minor losses in the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami—mangrove forest (of about 200 metres) fringing the village.
The carbon-storing capability of blue carbon ecosystems can be characterised as a double-edged sword. The degradation of these ecosystems can release the large amounts of sequestered carbon back into the atmosphere and ocean. Additionally, climate change accelerates this degradation. Rising sea levels, increased storm intensity, and changes in temperature and salinity weaken these ecosystems, making them more vulnerable to erosion and habitat loss. As they degrade, the carbon they once stored is re-released, amplifying the challenges of climate change mitigation.
Blue carbon ecosystems are also under pressure from industries such as aquaculture and agriculture which continue to drive the destruction of blue carbon ecosystems. This destruction is often compounded by the fact that many local communities who live near these ecosystems depend on them for their livelihoods, creating a conflict between economic development and environmental conservation.
Blue Carbon Science into Policy
The ASEAN Blue Economy Framework, adopted in September 2023, seeks to drive sustainable economic growth by harnessing the region’s abundant marine resources. The blue economy offers a dual opportunity, it not only fuels economic development but also addresses pressing environmental challenges. The framework supports social progress while ensuring environmental protection to meet both present and future needs, and aligns with the ASEAN Community Vision 2025’s emphasis on a sustainable and inclusive community.
Assessing the influence of regional initiatives focused on blue carbon conservation, protection, restoration, and preservation on national strategies would be invaluable. This is particularly crucial for countries that have yet to integrate blue carbon ecosystems into their NDCs. Such efforts will enable Southeast Asian nations to achieve two key objectives: enhancing climate resilience and promoting sustainable development.
Sequestered Solutions: The Crucial Role of Blue Carbon Ecosystems in Southeast Asia
By Keith Paolo C. Landicho
Southeast Asia is home to some of the world’s largest blue carbon stocks, with 37% of the world’s mangroves and 23% of seagrass meadows, yet it is also experiencing alarming rates of loss. Yet from 2002 to 2012, 2.5 million hectares of mangroves have been lost, while seagrass meadows have been reduced by 20,000 hectares per annum, owing to several pressures such as coastal development, pollution, and rising sea levels. Moreover, the rapid degradation of these ecosystems poses a significant threat not only to biodiversity but also to the region’s ability to withstand climate-related natural hazards and mitigate climate change effectively, as these habitats are crucial for carbon sequestration.
Despite the immense potential of mangroves and coastal wetlands to capture or sequester carbon, there has been minimal progress in countries in Southeast Asia to recognise and protect these resources. Only Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam have recognised these ecosystems in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), a climate action plan to cut emissions and adapt to climate impacts, under the Paris Agreement. Even among these countries, only Timor-Leste and Vietnam acknowledge the ecosystems’ capacity as “carbon sinks” which absorb more carbon from the atmosphere than they release. As for the others, the mention of enhancing the protection, conservation, restoration, and preservation of these ecosystems is a step in the right direction.
Blue Carbon Ecosystems
Blue carbon refers to the carbon dioxide captured from the atmosphere by coastal and marine ecosystems like mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrasses. Blue carbon ecosystems are highly efficient in capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide in the biomass and sediments—up to ten times greater than tropical forests and three to five times more carbon per equivalent area than tropical forests.
Blue carbon ecosystems are also able to provide benefits such as coastal protection, habitat for marine life, and water filtration. In terms of protection, mangroves play a key role in suppressing wind and storm surge impacts on adjacent coastal communities. This was affirmed in a study conducted by Krauss and Osland (2019) and even considering the changing climate conditions by Blakespoor et al. (2017). In fact, a representative of Yagasu, an Indonesian non-governmental organisation, highlighted how a village in Aceh Besar district in Aceh province of Indonesia, suffered only minor losses in the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami—mangrove forest (of about 200 metres) fringing the village.
The carbon-storing capability of blue carbon ecosystems can be characterised as a double-edged sword. The degradation of these ecosystems can release the large amounts of sequestered carbon back into the atmosphere and ocean. Additionally, climate change accelerates this degradation. Rising sea levels, increased storm intensity, and changes in temperature and salinity weaken these ecosystems, making them more vulnerable to erosion and habitat loss. As they degrade, the carbon they once stored is re-released, amplifying the challenges of climate change mitigation.
Blue carbon ecosystems are also under pressure from industries such as aquaculture and agriculture which continue to drive the destruction of blue carbon ecosystems. This destruction is often compounded by the fact that many local communities who live near these ecosystems depend on them for their livelihoods, creating a conflict between economic development and environmental conservation.
Blue Carbon Science into Policy
The ASEAN Blue Economy Framework, adopted in September 2023, seeks to drive sustainable economic growth by harnessing the region’s abundant marine resources. The blue economy offers a dual opportunity, it not only fuels economic development but also addresses pressing environmental challenges. The framework supports social progress while ensuring environmental protection to meet both present and future needs, and aligns with the ASEAN Community Vision 2025’s emphasis on a sustainable and inclusive community.
Assessing the influence of regional initiatives focused on blue carbon conservation, protection, restoration, and preservation on national strategies would be invaluable. This is particularly crucial for countries that have yet to integrate blue carbon ecosystems into their NDCs. Such efforts will enable Southeast Asian nations to achieve two key objectives: enhancing climate resilience and promoting sustainable development.
