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Carbon Inventory for Seagrass Ecosystem

BLUE CARBON

Blue carbon refers to atmospheric carbon dioxide removed by the marine ecosystems, i.e., mangroves, salt marshes, seagrasses, and potentially macroalgae, through plant growth (by photosynthesis process), also the accumulation and burial of organic matter in the sediment. The marine vegetation ecosystem is considered to have significant carbon storage and has an essential role in the global carbon cycle.

Marine vegetation that only has a 0.05% proportion of terrestrial vegetation biomass has the potential to store carbon comparable to terrestrial vegetation. Indonesia’s seagrass area is estimated at 293,464 to 875,967 hectares. This marine vegetation area indicates that Indonesia’s coastal ecosystem can significantly sequester and store carbon.

Scientific Basis of CISE

The increase of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) since the Industrial Revolution affects the global carbon cycle and triggers climate changes. Indonesia has ratified the Paris Agreement and declares the emission reduction for climate action (Sustainable Development Goal 13) up to 29% (independently) or 41% (with international support) in 2030 relative to the business as usual (BAU) scenario. The effort to achieve this target is implemented on Low Carbon Development Initiative (LCDI) starting in 2020, including marine and fisheries, as one of the implementing sectors that focus on subsector marine ecosystems.

Seagrass meadows are estimated to contribute significantly to global carbon pools. Their ability to accumulate and store organic carbon enables seagrass habitat to provide 15% of the total carbon deposited in the ocean. With their significant ability to absorb and store carbon, seagrass habitats can substantially contribute to climate change mitigation by reducing atmospheric carbon.

It has been proposed that one of the actions of climate change mitigation is the Conservation/Protection Seagrass Ecosystem on Marine Protected Area (MPA). Here, we present the method and tool for carbon inventory calculation/estimation for that action. The platform is called CISE, abbreviated from Carbon Inventory for Seagrass Ecosystem. With this platform, we can estimate or calculate carbon stock and sequestration, potential baseline emission, emission leakage during mitigation activities, and possible emission reduction, as carbon offset potential from seagrass conservation activities within the MPA.