Monitoring the restoration of mangrove ecosystems from space

Introduction Mangrove establishment and restoration projects designed for adaptation and multiple benefits have had increasing attention in recent years However, there has been little effort to map, monitor and compare results of these projects around the world, and to analyze success or failure of re-development In 2013, UNEP conducted temporal analysis for 10 mangrove projects in 24 sites in 6 countries (United Arab Emirates, Madagascar, Kenya, Senegal, Solomon Islands and Indonesia) The study used satellite imagery and GIS technology

Project sites

Summary of findings To assess pre-restoration status, satellite images from between 2000 and 2005 were used. For post-restoration status, satellite imagery from between 2010 and 2013 were used. Satellite imagery used and the date of acquisition are provided in the table below: SiteSensors (pre)Date (pre)Sensors (post)Date Post UAE - Abu DhabiLandsat 7 ETM19 May 2000Landsat 8 OLI31 May 2013 MadagascarWorldView4 July 2003WorldView10 April 2013 SenegalWorldView13 March 2001QuickBird 26 November 2010 KenyaQuickbird 210 October 2002IKONOS15 June 2011 Solomon IslandsQuickBird 226 April 2002WorldView 27 May 2012 MexicoIKONOS24 December 2003IKONOS5 November 2012 Indonesia Kembung RiverLandsat 714 July 2002ASTER13 February 2011 Indonesia Jankgang RiverLandsat 714 July 2002ASTER9 July 2012 Indonesia Banda AcehQuickbird 26 August 2005Quickbird 215 June 2012 Indonesia Lhok NgaQuickbird 22 January 2005Quickbird 215 June 2012 Indonesia PulotQuickbird 228 December 2004Quickbird 215 June 2012

Summary of findings – Cont’d Overall, most sites showed improved mangrove recovery In Jankgang River (Indonesia) a decline in both mangrove and vegetation cover observed In Senegal no change was identified as no imagery beyond 2010 could be obtained (the restoration project only started a year before) In Solomon Islands, Kenya and Madagascar, some improvement in mangrove cover had been achieved, but there was decline in other vegetation cover SitesChange UAE-Abu DhabiVery Good Madagascar-Mamelo HonkoLittle improvements Kenya-Gazi BayGood SenegalNo change Solomon Island-RanongaGood Indonesia-Bengkalis Island, Jankgang River Decline Indonesia-Bengkalis Island, Kembung River Very Good Indonesia-North Sumatra, Aceh Besar, Banda Aceh Very Good Indonesia-North Sumatra, Aceh Besar, Lhok Nga Very Good Indonesia-North Sumatra, Aceh Besar, Pulot Very Good

From Principle to Practice Achieving Coastal Mitigation and Adaptation Outcomes through Demonstration Projects and Upscaling Side Event, UNFCCC CoP 20, 9 December 2014 Tim Christophersen, Jerker Tamelander, Takehiro Nakamura, UNEP © J Tamelander

Importance of coastal wetlands Seagrass beds, mangroves, and other intertidal vegetated habitats deliver among the highest ecosystem service values of all natural systems Half of the world’s mangrove forest and tidal marsh area has been lost, and the global area of seagrass has declined by a third in the past century © J Tamelander

Opportunities 2011: ‘wetland drainage and rewetting’ eligible activity under KP => step towards integration of wetlands in future global mitigation architecture 2013: Wetlands Supplement to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories => Parties can account for all sinks and emissions from any wetlands Paris CoP may agree to include blue carbon as a whole, or certain blue carbon, in a comprehensive accounting and crediting framework under UNFCCC © J Tamelander

Opportunities Great potential for management and restoration of coastal wetlands under REDD+ and NAMAs Many REDD and NAMA readiness activities pave the way, e.g. institutions, land inventories, tenure allocations, policy mainstreaming CDM methodology for mangrove afforestation and reforestation - but excludes conservation and generates only temporary carbon credits Voluntary carbon markets provide ample opportunity, e.g. >15 relevant VCS AFOLU methodologies, > 80 individual projects © J Tamelander

Distils best practice principles for coastal wetland carbon projects Drawing on wetlands restoration, terrestrial carbon projects, carbon policy and community engagement Targeted at practitioners familiar with carbon project and policy development or wetlands restoration Gives guidance on additional requirements for successful coastal wetland or ‘blue carbon’ interventions Ensures intervention are feasible, scalable, and provide intended benefits

Mandate Keep the world environment under review; Catalyze and promote international cooperation and action; Facilitate development of standards and norms; Capacity support Mandate Keep the world environment under review; Catalyze and promote international cooperation and action; Facilitate development of standards and norms; Capacity support Blue Carbon in UNEP’s work Medium Term Strategy Climate Change; Disasters and Conflicts; Ecosystem Management; Chemicals and Wastes; Resource Efficiency; Environmental Governance; Environment under Review Medium Term Strategy Climate Change; Disasters and Conflicts; Ecosystem Management; Chemicals and Wastes; Resource Efficiency; Environmental Governance; Environment under Review Programme of Work Climate Change a) Ecosystem-based adaptation approaches implemented and integrated into key strategies c) Transformative REDD+ strategies and finance approaches developed and implemented Ecosystem Management: b) Use of ecosystem approach to sustain coastal and marine ecosystem services increased c) Services and benefits from ecosystems integrated in development planning and accounting Programme of Work Climate Change a) Ecosystem-based adaptation approaches implemented and integrated into key strategies c) Transformative REDD+ strategies and finance approaches developed and implemented Ecosystem Management: b) Use of ecosystem approach to sustain coastal and marine ecosystem services increased c) Services and benefits from ecosystems integrated in development planning and accounting

UNEP Blue Carbon Initiative Develop methodologies and tools for valuation of carbon and other ecosystem services => application in planning and management Policy analysis and dialogue => adoption of methodologies, tools and policy frameworks => create incentives for sustainable use of blue carbon ecosystem services Fill knowledge gaps => Targeted research on ecosystem services provided by coastal wetlands Communication => Provide information to a wide audience, create enabling environment

Delivery and uptake global community to develop tools and approaches and share lessons learned regional adoption, dissemination and capacity building through Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans national pilot testing and demonstration implementation

UNEP/GEF Blue Forests Project “Blue Forests” - coastal carbon and related ecosystem services coastal ecosystem management harnessing the values associated with carbon sequestration and storage and other ecosystem services USD 4.5M over 4 years, with over USD 23M cofinance © J Tamelander

UNEP/GEF Blue Forests Project Component 1. Development of guidance and methodologies for project support Component 2. Small-scale interventions: –Improving understanding of carbon and ecosystem services –Improving capacity for ecosystem management of blue forests –Target countries: Madagascar, Ecuador, Mozambique, Indonesia, UAE –Replication and scaling-up: e.g. Kenya; Central America Component 3. Improved understanding through targeted research Component 4. Adoption of methodologies and approaches for greater policy and GEF IW uptake Component 5. Monitoring, networking and information sharing

Blue Forests Project Global Reach

UNEP GRID-Arendal UNEP-WCMC Duke University IUCN Blue Ventures Conservation International WWF AGEDI Indonesia Ministry of Marine Affairs And Fisheries UNEP-ROLAC Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute US Forest Service South African Institute of International Affairs The Ocean Foundation NOAA Stockholm University Charles Darwin University Blue Forests Project Partners