NOAA Blue Carbon Inventory Project among first round of ocean decade endorsed actions

NOAA’s Blue Carbon Inventory Project encompasses myriad activities. Credit: NOAA

The NOAA Blue Carbon Inventory (BCI) Project—an initiative led by CPO in partnership with the U.S. Department of State and the NOAA Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Center—is among the first Ocean Decade actions endorsed and announced this week by the United Nations Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC). The announcement on World Ocean Day of more than 60 actions is the first batch of UN Decade action endorsements and is meant to encourage greater participation, collaboration, and co-development from around the world.

The international NOAA BCI project will support countries’ efforts to integrate coastal wetlands into their National Greenhouse Gas Inventories. These inventories provide a transparent mechanism for tracking and assessing the status of coastal wetlands and their role in carbon sequestration and storage. The inclusion of this information in NGGIs can lead to enhanced protection and restoration of critical coastal wetlands, as well as contribute to climate mitigation. Wetlands provide important fish habitats, recreational opportunities, and coastal protection from storm surge, especially in light of rising sea levels.

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