Van Dam, Bryce, Helfer, Véronique ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5923-5291, Kaiser, David, Sinemus, Eva, Staneva, Joanna and Zimmer, Martin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1549-8871 (2024) Towards a fair, reliable, and practical verification framework for Blue Carbon-based CDR. Environmental Research Letters, 19 (8). 081004. DOI https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad5fa3.

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Abstract

While the (re-)establishment of Blue Carbon Ecosystems (BCE) is seen as an important tool to mitigate climate change, the credibility of such nature-based solutions has been marred by recent revelations ranging from weak accounting to malpractice. In light of this, there is a clear need to develop monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) systems towards the reliable, practical, and accurate accounting of additional and durable carbon dioxide removal (CDR). We propose the development of a Blue Carbon Ecosystem Digital Twin (BCE-DT) as a practical solution, integrating real-time data and models into What-If Scenarios of CDR aimed at the quantification of CDR additionality and durability. Critically, such a solution would be amenable to projects across a broad range in spatial scale and ecosytem type. In parallel, we propose the creation of an independent and not-for-profit Standards Development Organization (SDO) for the management of this Digital Twin and oversight of the certification process based on MRV. Considering the interwoven nature of the scientific and policy/legal needs we raise, an improved dialogue and collaboration between the scientific and policy communities is clearly needed. We argue that this BCE-DT, along with its oversight and implementation by a SDO, would fit this niche and support the fair and accurate implementation of MRV critically needed for BCE-based CDR to proceed.

Document Type:	Article
Programme Area:	PA4
Research affiliation:	Ecology > Mangrove Ecology
Refereed:	Yes
Open Access Journal?:	Yes
DOI:	https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad5fa3
ISSN:	1748-9326
Date Deposited:	25 Jul 2024 08:28
Last Modified:	25 Jul 2024 08:28
URI:	http://cris.leibniz-zmt.de/id/eprint/5460

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