United Arab Emirates
Lead Partner Organisation: Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative (AGEDI)
Blue Forest ecosystem focus: Mangrove, seagrass, salt marsh, sabkha, and intertidal algal flats
Total area covered: 176,400 ha (for both improved understanding and improved ecosystem management)
The focus of the GEF Blue Forests Project small-scale intervention ‘Abu Dhabi Blue Carbon Demonstration Project’ is to investigate opportunities in building a local greener Emirate through the better understanding of carbon and coastal ecosystem services and its potential contribution to climate change mitigation efforts. The project aims to improve local understanding of carbon storage and sequestration and the other ecosystem services that coastal blue carbon ecosystems provide in Abu Dhabi.
The project will identify options for incorporating these values into policy and management, leading to the sustainable use of these ecosystems and preserving their services for future generations. This sub-project will help meet national priorities in coastal management, especially pertaining to the protection of mangrove, seagrass, saltmarsh (all three blue forest ecosystems) and sabkha ecosystems (including algal flats), and priorities in national climate change policy. These ecosystems are particularly important in Abu Dhabi as they represent a significant part of the Emirates natural ecosystem resource. It will also serve as an example in natural carbon mitigation for a region heavily dependent on extraction of fossil fuels.
United Arab Emirates
Project staff
DOCUMENTS
PROJECT DOCUMENT: United Arab Emirates
POLICY BRIEF: United Arab Emirates
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS: United Arab Emirates
Baseline Assessment Report: Coastal Ecosystem Carbon Stocks
Final Spatial Data Assessment Report 2014
Abu Dhabi’s Blue Carbon Policy (Climate Policy Assessment Report)
Ecosystem Services Assessment Report
Finance Feasibility Assessment Report
The Abu Dhabi Blue Carbon Demonstration Project
Carbon Baseline Assessment Methodology Report
The Coastal Ecosystem Mapping and Media Viability Project
Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi Ecosystem Services Assessment Report
Ebook Synopsis – Systematic Conservation Planning Assessments and Spatial Prioritizations
Systematic Conservation Planning Assessments and Spatial Prioritizations
Support of Blue Carbon at the National Level Extension – Technical Report