The role of mangroves in the fight against climate change

Daniel Murdiyarso

Who we are CIFOR is one of 15 centers that make up the CGIAR CIFOR is the lead center for the CGIAR Research Programme Forests, Trees

and Agroforestry (CRP6), in partnership with the World Agroforestry Centre, Bioversity and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture

Where we work

Burkina Faso Cameroon Ethiopia Zambia Brazil Indonesia

Headquarters: Bogor, Indonesia 8 regional & project offices

Research sites in more than 30 countries

Peru Kenya Vietnam

Why forests are important They make up 31% of the world’s land mass Forests provide $250 billion in various forms of income and are essential to

the livelihoods of 1.6 billion people – a quarter of the world’s population They contain 80% of the Earth’s terrestrial biodiversity Forests absorb up to a third of all carbon emissions

• Support numerous ecosystem services, including fisheries production, nutrient cycling, coast protection

• Globally cover 13.8 million ha; declined by 30–50% over the past half century due to coastal development, aquaculture expansion and over-harvesting

• Resulting carbon emissions of 0.02– 0.12 Pg per year (0.2-1.2 billion tons Carbon per year)

• Ten percent of global emissions due to deforestation of tropical forests (0.7% of total tropical forest area)

Mangroves forests

Harnessing forests, trees and agroforestry for climate change mitigation

Enhancing climate change adaptation

Understanding synergies between climate change mitigation and adaptation

Climate change adaptation and mitigation Research component

How to fight climate change?

Mitigation

Adaptation

Adaptation Mitigation

Climate change and variability

Impacts

Responses

Kyoto Protocol UNFCCC

Tropical Wetlands Initiatives for Climate Adaptation and Mitigation

(TWINCAM)

• Tested across Indo-Pacific region (30o Lat, 73o Long)

• Results have been peer-reviewed and published

Standardized Method

Sonneratia sp. Rhizophora sp.

Bruguiera sp. Avicennia sp.

Measuring stem diameter

From diameter to biomass

Kauffman and Cole (2010)

Woody debris

Fine : < 0.6 cm (count along 10-12 m)

Small : 0.6 - 2.5 cm (count along 7-10 m)

Medium : 2.5 - 7.5 cm (count along 2-7 m)

Large : >7.5 cm (measure, sound and rotten)

Soil carbon

Intervals: 0-15 cm, 15-30 cm, 30-50 cm, 50-100 cm, 100-300 cm

Ab

ove

gro

un

d0

200

400

Distance from Ocean (m)

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

Be

low

gro

un

d

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

Carb

on s

tock

(M

g h

a-1

)

Belowground pools

Aboveground pools

Roots

Soil

Down wood

Trees

Total C stock ( x Mg ha-1

):

863.3 891.9 1044.4 1038.8 1073.4 1047.8

Large belowground C-stocks

Indo-Pacific region (30o Lat, 73o Long)

Mangroves for CC mitigation New finding: Surprisingly large amounts of carbon stored in mangrove forests, especially below ground Mangrove photo

Source: Donato et al. (2011)

Global survey

Gabon Mozambique

Mexico Costa Rica Ecuador

Vietnam India

Bali Action Plan: REDD+

SFM

REDD

Conservation ECS

Source: Pedroni (2009)

A Reference Level is needed

Base Period Or Historical baseline

Crediting period = 35 years?

Reduced emissions

With REDD

Without REDD (BAU)

Fo

rest

carb

on

sto

cks

With REDD+

5 or 10 years?

Cancun Agreement: Phase approach

• REDD+ national strategy: follow UN-REDD and WB FCPF processes

• National reference level: sub-national reference level is accepted only temporary in while taking care of domestic leakage

• Forest monitoring system: to demonstrate additionality that includes environmental and social safeguards (UN-DRIP)

GHG emissions from Vietnam – 2000

Source: Vietnam SNC 2002

Mangroves: Providers of ecosystem services

Direct benefits to the community

The UNFCCC’s Adaptation Fund Board approved the first proposal

Joint CIFOR-CATIE research in Honduras on CC adaptation

We can do the same for Vietnam or SEA region

To mainstream CC adaptation in mangroves in development agenda

Adaptation agenda: window of opportunity

Financing Adaptation

• Adaptation Fund Board – Guidelines to access the fund

– Established accreditation panel

• Adaptation fund – available for LDCs

• Levy from CDM – 2%

• To date (March 2012) – Registered projects: 3887

– Issued CERs: 877 million

– Sale of CERs generate $ 18.7 million

• Expected CERs (2012): 2163 million

• Expected AF generated (2012): Euro 300 million

Mangroves = protective roles (low-laying coastlines)

• Species and rooting system

• Depending on the coastal topography

Sequester and store large amount of carbon

Adaptation to CC-related sea level rise

Adaptation Strategy for Mangroves

Beach erosion leading to ecosystems loss

The Sundarbands

• The world's largest remaining single block of mangrove forest

• Appr. 1 Mha (10,000 km2)

• Delta front has undergone a net erosion of ~170 km2 of coastal land in the past 37 years study period

Source: Rahman et al. (2011)

The world mangroves

1 m sea level rise

Concluding remarks

• Mangroves ecosystem have a huge potential for CC adaptation and mitigation

• Climate change mitigation (CDM, REDD+) has been widely recognized

• Putting back CC adaptation is necessary for countries with low-laying coastal zones like Vietnam

• Financially it is funded by public; the mechanism should attract private sector to get involved