This is an update from our project partner in IUCN, Dorothee Herr."For the last few months IUCN has focused on assessing the Small Scale Initiative's (SSI) policy situation. While I was on maternity leave, fantastic colleagues have steadily researched and analysed the legal, policy, market and institutional conditions of Madagascar, Ecuador, Mozambique, Indonesia and the UAE.With the help and review of the SSI project leads as well as external reviewers we are now starting to have a great overview of which specific laws are applicable to mangroves, seagrasses and saltmarshes in the five countries. We learn about their national biodiversity and climate change strategies, as well as about specific incentive schemes like Socio Manglar in Ecuador or carbon offset project in Madagascar.We also get a better picture of the challenges to either enforce and/or implement regulations and policies or to set up new institutions.Together with the SSIs we are now trying to explore which policies and initiatives to sustainably manage blue forest ecosystems can work best give the legal, policy, market and institutional structure in each country.The SSIs will then have the chance to discuss with experts these policy priorities in an upcoming workshop in Berlin, Germany end of July. This workshop aims to create cross-learning experience between the SSIs as well as detailed guidance on how to strengthen and deepen blue forest related policies in the five countries."
Getting the Full Picture
