Blue Carbon Finance Toolbox released

The Toolbox is a guidance document providing a comprehensive overview of financial  mechanisms and strategies to support conservation, restoration and sustainable  management of ‘blue  carbon’ ecosystems.

‘Blue carbon’ coastal and marine habitats, including mangroves, tidal marshes and seagrasses, play essential roles in climate change mitigation and adaptation through the storage of carbon, coastal protection, ecosystem functioning and support coastal livelihoods and communities.

The Blue Carbon Finance Toolbox is an initiative of the High Level Ambition Group (HILAG), which looks to enhance commitments at the highest political level to foster the integration of blue carbon efforts in the ocean-climate-biodiversity nexus. The HILAG complements the ongoing efforts of the International Partnership for Blue Carbon (IPBC) of which PML is a partner organisation and Dr Rendón PML’s science lead.

The toolbox aims to equip policymakers, financial institutions, project developers and other stakeholders with knowledge and tools necessary to mobilize funding for blue carbon initiatives. It synthesises current knowledge, best-practice and innovative approaches in blue carbon finance.

Key components include:

• an overview of blue carbon finance
• the policy context
• financial mechanisms
• barriers to effective finance
• enabling conditions.

The publication serves as an opportunity for all stakeholders to leverage these financial tools and strategies to support the vital role of blue carbon ecosystems in addressing global climate and biodiversity challenges.

Dr Olivia Rendón, Toolbox Reviewer and Senior Environmental Economist at PML, said:

“It was an honour to be invited to be a Reviewer on this timely and useful blue carbon financing resource.  The finance session at the International Partnership for Blue Carbon (IPBC) Dialogue event in Cairns last year was a highlight for me, which discussed how to reach enabling environments for blue carbon investment, so it was great to be able to contribute to a tool that will help progress this.”