Policy review for Nature-based Solutions and blue carbon in the Pacific (Conservation International)

Overview

For more than 15 years Conservation International have been at the forefront of researching, protecting and conserving blue carbon ecosystems. In collaboration with their partners, they are developing the strategies and tools needed to protect and full-value coastal ecosystems and equipping governments to develop policies that protect blue carbon ecosystems and promote their potential for supporting climate change adaptation and resilience. 

Challenges

Legislation and policy relating to Nature-based Solutions (NbS) including blue carbon ecosystems are becoming increasingly important, particularly in the context of climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Conservation International required the services of a consultant to undertake a thorough review of existing literature and policy analyses of blue carbon in the Pacific. The scope of the project grew to include a review of NbS internationally, regionally and nationally for a subset of countries across the Asia-Pacific region. 

Solutions

MCC is passionate about the role NbS have for addressing the key global risks. MCC provided expertise and undertook a national and regional policy review for a subset of countries in the Pacific to identify current national policies and international commitments (including national development plans, NDCs, NBSAPs, national plans for implementing SDGs, Ramsar sites, REDD+, national climate policies and other relevant policies) related to blue carbon ecosystem management and conservation. The scope of this project grew to include not only a review of blue carbon but also more broadly NbS internationally, regionally and nationally for 14 countries in the Pacific. A high level regional and national policy analysis was also undertaken for blue carbon for an additional 10 Asian-Pacific nations.

Implementation

The outputs of the regional analysis informed both the Blue Pacific NbS Policy and Finance Workshop held in Nadi, Fiji in July 2023 and the ASEAN AOSIS Blue Carbon Policy and Finance workshop held in Singapore in October 2023. 

Results

Through the implementation of activities workshop attendees were better informed about legal and policy mechanisms in their country in order to better protect and manage blue carbon habitats and implement NbS projects and initiatives. MCC produced a summary report of the initial findings which identified gaps and opportunities to support countries to include NbS including blue carbon in their legislation and policies, and where blue carbon habitats are included to strengthen these policies and actions.

MCC received very positive feedback from Conservation International on the regional policy review. There is also the potential to upscale the analysis of NbS policies to a greater range of both sectors and countries within the Pacific.