OBAMA-NEXT Welcomes the New Horizon Europe Project C-BLUES in a Strategic Collaboration for Marine Conservation
OBAMA-NEXT is set to collaborate with the newly initiated Horizon EU project C-BLUES led by Richard Bellerby from NIVA, our consortium partners. This partnership highlights the strategic effort of OBAMA-NEXT consortium members to find synergies among European initiatives in the study and preservation of blue carbon ecosystems, and their critical role in carbon sequestration.
The C-BLUES project, which stands for “Carbon sequestration in blue ecosystems,” officially commenced on April 1st, 2024, with its kick-off meeting scheduled for April 14-16 in Barcelona. This gathering will serve as a platform for both projects to explore and identify synergistic opportunities, particularly in the mapping of coastal blue carbon habitats and advancing the understanding of these vital ecosystems.
Kasper Hancke, also from NIVA and a participant in OBAMA-NEXT, will introduce the project to C-BLUES partners, aiming to foster collaboration and highlighting mutual strengths, particularly in mapping efforts of seagrass, seaweeds, and kelp forests, which are pivotal in blue carbon stocks and ecological significance.
C-BLUES aims to propel knowledge and understanding of blue carbon ecosystems, such as seagrasses, tidal marshes, mangroves, and macroalgae, along with macroalgae mariculture. Its goals are ambitious but critical: to diminish scientific uncertainties, improve reporting of blue carbon under international conventions, and augment the inclusion of coastal wetlands in national greenhouse gas inventories.
Furthermore, C-BLUES seeks to elevate awareness and underline the importance of blue carbon in global climate policy, working in collaboration with international partners, including China. By generating spatial maps, establishing methodological best practices, and modelling carbon sequestration capacity, C-BLUES is gearing up to influence national and international climate policies directly.
This collaboration between OBAMA-NEXT and C-BLUES exemplifies a unified approach towards understanding and protecting our marine ecosystems, highlighting the critical role of blue carbon habitats in the fight against climate change.
