· 2 min read
illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Insider or enjoy below
🗞️ Driving the news: The Bahamas announced last year its historic initiative to sell credits related to carbon capture and storage in its waters, capitalizing on its mangroves and seagrass meadows
• Satellites are being implemented to monitor and gather data to establish quantities of blue carbon stored
🔭 The context: Blue carbon, stored in marine and coastal ecosystems, has emerged as a crucial tool against the climate crisis
• McKinsey predicts over $50 billion worth of carbon credits will trade annually in the voluntary market
🌎 Why does it matter for the planet: Blue carbon could represent a fifth of the emission reductions needed to stay within 1.5 degrees of warming
• Ecosystems like mangroves and seagrass not only capture carbon but also mitigate climate change effects such as floods and sea-level rises
⏭️ What's next: With the blue-carbon ecosystem turning to advanced technologies, initiatives like the Global Seagrass Watch are working on bridging the data and scalability gaps in monitoring marine ecosystems
💬 One quote: "It's a bit like going from dial-up internet to 3G," Guy Wolf of OxCarbon comments on the evolution of satellite technology aiding blue carbon monitoring
📈 One stat: A report from the World Resources Institute in 2019 found that blue carbon could account for one-fifth of the emissions reductions required to remain within a 1.5-degree warming limit.
Click for more news covering the latest on environmental sustainability