Blue Carbon Fiber

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and other area-based management efforts offer opportunities for no-regret climate change tools and are now needed more than ever for sustaining a functioning ocean which continues to serve as a carbon sink.These approaches can also apply to coastal systems – that contain rich carbon reservoirs. Dedicated conservation efforts can ensure that coastal ecosystems continue to play their role as long-term carbon sinks, by helping to ensure that no new emissions arise from their loss and degradation, whilst stimulating new carbon sequestration through the restoration of previously carbon-rich coastal habitats.

Additionally, these coastal ecosystems provide numerous benefits and services that are essential for climate change adaptation, including coastal protection and food security for many communities globally.

Coastal ecosystems need to be conserved and restored as globally significant carbon sinks. Despite their small extent relative to other ecosystems, they sequester and store globally significant amounts of carbon in their soil. The ongoing destruction and loss of these systems contributes to additional human-induced greenhouse gases. Alongside tropical forests and peatlands, coastal ecosystems demonstrate how nature can be used to enhance climate change mitigation strategies and therefore offer opportunities for countries to achieve their emissions reduction targets and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.The management of marine ecosystems in the high seas as a climate mitigation option, and the use of the UNFCCC to incentivise better management action is currently an area of debate. These ecosystems either do not demonstrate globally relevant, long-term climate mitigation potential or have jurisdictional challenges related to the management and clear national carbon emissions or removals allocation. Further discussion and dialogue are now needed to analyse if, and how, an incentive mechanism for areas beyond national jurisdiction should be developed under the UN Climate Convention. Herr, D. and E. Landis (2016). Coastal blue carbon ecosystems: Opportunities for Nationally Determined Contributions. Policy Brief. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN and Washington, DC, USA: TNC. On an implementation level, mangroves, salt marshes and seagrasses can be included in national accounting, according to the IPCC 2013 Supplement to the 2006 Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories: Wetlands.Some technical elements need to be fully integrated into these mechanisms to value the full coastal carbon potential, e.g. accounting for soil carbon. An expansion of the implementation of programmes and projects around the world is also needed to stop the ongoing loss of these ecosystems and curb resulting emissions. Coastal ecosystem management for mitigation and adaptation can also be advanced under the Poznan Strategic Program on Technology Transfer, implemented by the Global Environment Facility, and through the work and services of the UNFCCC’s Technology Mechanism. Global averages for carbon pools (soil organic carbon and living biomass) of focal coastal habitats. Note: Tropical forests are included for comparison. Only the top metre of soil is included in the soil carbon estimates.Many countries have included coastal ecosystem management in their national climate change mitigation activities, including under REDD+, NAMAs, NDCs and other mechanisms. These experiences show opportunities for further refinement as well as replication and expansion in other countries. More and more efforts now link the mitigation and adaptation benefits of these systems, and direct the appropriate management and policy responses through national development goals as well as coastal planning efforts.

What is clear, however, is that an ecologically degraded ocean loses its capacity to support the carbon cycle and act broadly as a carbon sink. The management of marine ecosystems for a functioning ocean carbon cycle should therefore be strengthened under existing international, regional and sectoral regulation and management regimes such as through the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources.

The production of carbon fiber is mainly based on PAN-based fibers (a polymeric fiber material with a textile basis) whilst Pitch fiber is achieved by spinning purified petroleum or coal-tar pitch, the resulting fibers have a high degree of molecular orientation which gives a higher moduli and improves thermal conductivity.Depending upon the precursor used to make the fiber, carbon fiber may be turbostratic or graphitic, or even a hybrid structure with both graphitic and turbostratic parts present. Carbon fiber derived from PAN are turbostratic, while carbon fiber produced from pitch are graphitic after heat treatment at temperature exceeding 2200℃. The weight of PAN during oxidation and carbonization is reduced by 50% of its original weight. It is quite possible that you have not heard of aramid fibers before reading our last blog. However, the chances are that many if not most of you have heard of carbon fiber, or you will have seen something made out of “carbon fiber”. Why do I add the quotation mark to carbon fiber? Because the truth is that a lot of what you see is just as much about aramid fiber as it is carbon fiber. One additional aspect to understand is that as emerging technologies become more main stream, those best-in-class carbon fiber costs start to come down each year, as you can see in the following table.

Meta-aramid is made from the polymer poly-metaphenylene isophthalamide, whereas the para-aramid is manufactured from polymer p-phenylene terephthalamide.The production process of carbon fiber is very slow and expensive because of the time and energy consuming processes involved. Pitch-based carbon fibers and PAN-based fibers are produced in similar ways. But pitch is more difficult to spin and the resulting fiber is more difficult to handle.Stage one, involves passing them through very high temperatures to oxidize the precursors. Stage two, involves the precursor being treated with chemicals to give high stiffness-to-weight and strength-to-weight properties to the pre-material. After a surface treatment and sizing stage, the materials resin compatibility and handle properties have also been greatly improved.To give you some examples, both aramid fiber and carbon fiber can be used as a key material in body armor, but it is quite hard to tell one from the other just by looking at their appearance. Similarly, there are a lot of carbon fiber phone cases on the market today, which happen to look very similar to aramid fiber phone cases. Due to the misleading information given out by some manufacturers, a lot of users as well as retailers have mistaken one for the other. But, they are in fact they are two completely different products.

As well as the classic weaves of these two types of fiber, aramid can be woven into Hybrid Fabrics which are blended with carbon fiber. This way the properties of the combined fibers are enhanced by synergy. (Synergy is the creation of a whole that is greater than the simple sum of its parts)

(Note: The figures given here involve only carbon fiber and aramid fiber. For more information, please have a look at our last blog for the data on some other relevant materials)In wet spinning, a strong solution of the polymer and inorganic salts is used. This is spun and extruded through a spinneret into a weak acid or water bath, which removes the salts and leaves the yarn.

Aramid fiber, in its natural state, is a bright golden yellow color. However, in recent years, scientists have been able to develop distinct colors such as black, red, orange, green or blue.Or, to put it in another way, when combining two or more fibers, the resulting material tends to keep the stronger properties whilst giving up the weaker ones. Thus, a hybrid weave fabric is often the preferred choice for many composite manufacturers. Aramid fibers are produced from these polymers by using either the wet or the dry spinning method; this is because the aramids would decompose before they melted. A polymer solvent, anhydrous sulphuric acid is used to help with the spinning processes. Kevlar has a high strength-to-weight ratio when tested unidirectionally (as in the direction of the fibers). Both Kevlar and carbon fiber have very good strength-to-weight ratios.Some non-brittle materials distort before breaking, but Kevlar and carbon fiber are brittle and therefore they will break without distortion. The measurement of Tensile strength is stated as the force per unit area, Pa or Pascals. Tensile strength can also refer to the ultimate tensile strength or ultimate strength.

Well, by transmitting and receiving electromagnetic waves your phone gets it’s a signal and joins the cellular phone network. Unfortunately, carbon fiber’s conductive properties will significantly absorb, reflect and counteract these electromagnetic waves. So, the signal of your phone with a carbon fiber case will decrease dramatically.In short, if the strength of the material is the only consideration, then the stronger aramid fiber is the better choice. However, if it’s the stiffness that you need, then you go for carbon fiber.

Carbon fiber has great electrical conductivity, I think that this is well known. Your chemistry teacher must have explained that to you in middle school.If you check the price of both materials, you will find that they are comparable over a given length, but the final price can depend on other factors as well. Additionally, aramid fiber and carbon fiber are more expensive when compared to other composite materials such as fiberglass. You can see more in terms of price differences by looking at reputable online sites such as Fibreglast.

A mechanical property of linear elastic solid materials, it defines the relationship between stress and strain (Young’s Modulus is the ratio of stress to strain).

As mentioned in last blog, aramid fibers actually include two types, para-aramid and meta-aramid and the manufacturing methods are different for each one.

The problem is, if you forget that carbon fiber is a great conductor, it could be a real problem for you. For example, perhaps you fancy a smart carbon fiber case (which seemed to be getting quite popular) for your phone; this would be great to look at, but terrible for your phone’s cell signal.When woven together, aramid cloth comes in two types of weaves, the plain one and the twill one. Twill weave is typically used where improved flexibility is required, whilst the plain weave is very common in composites because it offers uniform properties, maximum stability as well as simple surfacing characteristics.

When you compare the density of Aramid fiber to carbon fiber, you will find that they are different. If you were to hold two equal sized blocks of carbon fiber and aramid fiber in your hands, you would be able to tell which is which without opening your eyes as Kevlar is lighter.Carbon fiber, on the other hand is always black and will always be black, it cannot be colored. The only way to change carbon fiber’s appearance is by blending it with something, with what you might ask? Well, some coloured aramid fiber of course.

Those people in the know will choose the aramid fiber phone case instead of carbon fiber, because whilst they look very similar and stylish, the aramid fiber case will NOT reduce your signal strength at all. Perfect!Oh and if you are going to buy a stylish phone case, remember, there is no point in choosing a carbon fiber case because it will ruin your signal strength.

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This is because terrestrial forests store most of their carbon in their biomass (branches, roots, and leaves), while blue carbon ecosystems store most of their carbon in their soils. In fact seagrass meadows and salt marshes often store more than 95% of their carbon in their soils!

Mangroves are trees or shrubs that are found along coastlines in the tropics and subtropics. Though exact estimates vary, there are at least 50 species of mangroves worldwide. Mangroves are one of the most distinguishable types of plants thanks to their sprawling, tangled roots which are visible above the ground.

In the Caribbean, it is common for hotels to clear mangroves or seagrass to create “pristine” beaches and swimming areas for tourists. Boat anchors and propellers also pose a danger to delicate seagrass beds.Blue carbon ecosystems are also a great place to visit and explore. They support tourism jobs and provide recreational opportunities, such as birdwatching, kayaking, boat tours, and fishing. Because they support coral reefs and the entire marine food web, blue carbon ecosystems also ensure we have rewarding diving, snorkeling, and whale-watching experiences. One way that you can protect blue carbon ecosystems is by offsetting the carbon footprint of your travels and investing in blue carbon projects. These projects reduce carbon emissions either by protecting existing blue carbon ecosystems or restoring degraded ones to how they were before. Most blue carbon offset projects are community-based and create benefits for local people. As a result, this approach creates a financial incentive for local communities to participate in the restoration and conservation of their local blue carbon ecosystems. Though they’re not true grasses, seagrass get their name from their green grass-like leaves. There are 72 known species of seagrass which vary in shape and size. While some seagrass leaves look like flat grass blades, others are shaped like ovals, fern fronds, or long spaghetti noodles. Though they’re not as burly as mangroves, salt marsh grasses and plants are highly effective at reducing the power of smaller waves. Their peat soils also help prevent flooding by absorbing water like a giant sponge. Currently, more than 600 million people live near the world’s coasts. These coastal communities depend heavily on their marine environments for both income and food security. Many coastal inhabitants make their living from fishing and rely on seafood as a cheap source of protein. In the Maldives, for instance, the local population relies on seafood for more than three-quarters of their protein.

When mangroves, seagrass, or salt marshes are degraded or destroyed, their enormous carbon stores are released into the atmosphere. Studies show that the degradation and conversion of coastal ecosystems releases up to 1.02 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year. That’s the same amount of carbon that is emitted by driving 2.5 trillion miles, or 101 million laps around the earth.The destruction of these vital coastal habitats is largely the result of development, agriculture, pollution, and overharvesting. As the world’s population grows, the pressure on these ecosystems only increases. Even the dead and decomposing biomass of blue carbon ecosystems serves an important ecological role. Crabs feast on the decaying leaves that fall from mangroves. As seagrass breaks down, the organic matter provides nutrients for organisms like worms, sea cucumbers, and various filter feeders. Mangroves are hearty plants that are uniquely adapted to survive in inhospitable conditions. Because mangroves grow where the land meets the sea, they are regularly flooded with salt water when the tide comes in. Their sturdy, stilt-like roots keep them stable as they are submerged under water. While the salty seawater would kill most other trees, mangroves are able to filter out most of the salt as it enters their roots. Mangroves’ above ground root systems also help them to “breathe,” which allows them to thrive in oxygen-poor soils.Though salt marshes are found worldwide; they are most common in temperate climates and higher latitudes. In tropical regions, salt marshes are usually replaced by mangroves.

Mangroves, seagrass, and wetlands are removed to construct resorts and golf courses, create shrimp farming ponds, and make way for croplands, like rice and palm oil plantations. Because they are a cheap source of fuel and durable building material, mangroves are also often cut down for their timber.

Mangroves cover more than 57,000 square miles (147,900 square kilometers) of the earth’s surface – or an area roughly the size of Greece. While they can’t survive freezing temperatures and are only found in warmer climates; their range is expanding as climate change causes global temperatures to rise.Blue carbon ecosystems not only prevent climate change, they also protect coastal communities from its harmful impacts, such as rising seas and flooding, and provide important habitats for marine life. Sadly, humans continually overlook the benefits of these incredible ecosystems and are destroying them at an alarming rate. It is estimated that every minute, up to three football fields of coastal habitats are being lost.

Though blue carbon ecosystems cover far less land area than terrestrial forests, they are carbon-sequestering powerhouses. Mangroves for instance can store up to 10 times more carbon per acre than land-based forests.As climate change causes tropical storms to become more powerful and sea levels to rise, there is greater risk of coastal flooding and destruction. The vegetation that fringes shorelines acts as natural barriers, defending communities against these damaging impacts. Many small creatures can also be found hiding among swaying seagrass beds and thick marsh grasses. Next time you’re diving or snorkeling, keep an eye out for skinny pipefish and tiny seahorses that use their camouflage to blend in with seagrass blades. As their name implies, blue carbon ecosystems capture carbon dioxide and store it in their leaves, branches, roots, and soils. By removing carbon from the atmosphere, blue carbon ecosystems help fight climate change.

Despite all of the benefits that blue carbon ecosystems bring to people, nature, and the economy, they are among the most threatened ecosystems. Our world’s blue carbon ecosystems are rapidly shrinking in size, as 98,000 to 2.4 million acres are destroyed each year. Up to half of the world’s mangroves and seagrass have been lost since the 1940s and 1990s, respectively. Though salt marshes have fared slightly better, they’ve still lost a quarter of their coverage since the 1800s.

In addition to releasing carbon, this loss of coastal vegetation leaves coastal destinations and communities unguarded against the powerful waves that strike against their shores.Many of the fish that we eat spend their early days swimming among mangrove roots and seagrass leaves. Nearly all (95%) commercial fish species depend on coastal habitats at some point during their life. If these ecosystems are destroyed, fish won’t have a safe place to raise their young and their populations will decline.Mangrove roots stand strong against crashing waves and storm surges, which is when seawater is pushed ashore during a big tropical storm. A 100 meter stretch of mangroves can reduce the height of waves by up to 66%. It is estimated that mangroves protect 15 million people from flooding every year and reduce property damage by more than $65 billion. These numbers will only grow as climate impacts get worse.

Healthy blue carbon ecosystems play a critical part in maintaining the fish stocks that sustain these populations. The commercial fisheries that feed the world also rely on the productivity of these coastal ecosystems.

Along with providing a safe haven, blue carbon ecosystems are an important source of food for animals both above and below the sea. Animals like dugongs, manatees, and sea turtles can be found grazing on seagrass leaves. There’s a reason that dugongs are nicknamed “sea cows” – an adult dugong can eat up to 88 pounds of seagrass in a day. That’s about the weight of 50 heads of lettuce!Mangrove roots, seagrass, and marsh plants also help to hold sediment in place and stabilize shorelines, thus preventing beach erosion. Blue carbon ecosystems don’t only safeguard communities on land. By trapping sediments and filtering out pollutants before they reach the ocean, blue carbon ecosystems also protect coral reefs and life under water.

Pollution from the sediments and fertilizers that seep into the ocean is another major threat to blue carbon ecosystems. In recent years, poor water quality has led to massive algae blooms that stretch from the Gulf of Mexico to Africa. When this algae accumulates along shorelines in Mexico and the Caribbean, it smothers and kills the seagrass that lies below. While seaweed is a type of algae, seagrass is an aquatic flowering plant. Like the flowering plants that live on land, seagrass have roots, leaves, flowers, and seeds – they’re just fully submerged underwater! Wet coastal soils have much lower oxygen levels than those on the forest floor, which causes dead plant matter to take a longer time to decay. As a result, the carbon stored in coastal soils can remain trapped there for thousands of years.

When offsetting your carbon footprint, keep in mind that not all carbon offset projects are of the same quality. When selecting a blue carbon offset project to support, we recommend following these 10 tips to ensure that the project is credible and delivering the intended impact.Every blue carbon project takes a different approach, based on the local situation. For instance, the Kenya Blue Forests project that we support is protecting more than 1,400 acres of mangroves on Kenya’s southern coast. Among other activities, the project educates local villagers on the importance of mangroves, engages them in replanting efforts, and involves them in forest monitoring. The project also channels funding into local health care, skills development, and education initiatives. By conserving these valuable blue carbon ecosystems and creating livelihood opportunities, the project fosters marine health and improves the resilience of Kenya’s coastal communities.Blue carbon ecosystems play an important role in combating the global climate crisis, nurturing land and marine biodiversity, and supporting human well-being. Below are a few reasons why blue carbon ecosystems matter.Though terrestrial forests typically get most of the attention, they are not the only ecosystems that possess a natural ability to fight climate change. There are three coastal ecosystems that are also highly effective at sequestering carbon dioxide: mangroves, seagrass, and salt marshes. The carbon that is captured and stored by these coastal ecosystems is known as “blue carbon.” Pound for pound, these blue carbon ecosystems can actually store up to 10 times more carbon than tropical rainforests!For very critical applications, such as aerospace, even dry carbon fabrics will be ‘lifed’ due to very gradual degradation of the sizing on the fibres, however in practice, for most applications, the degradation is minimal and most users would consider dry fabrics to not have a shelf life when stored appropriately.This very special fabric uses genuine 3k carbon fibre interwoven with a bright blue polyester to create an amazing fabric that shimmers with bright blue but is also distinctively carbon fibre with the jet black diagonal stripes of the 2/2 twill weave pattern.

Well, this depends entirely on what reinforcement you’re laminating, speficically how thick and heavy it is. If you’re laminating 5mm of carbon fibre you’ll use a lot more resin that if you’re laminating just 1mm of it. Fortunately though there a really quick rule to get a good estimate – simply add up the total weight of your reinforcement and you’ll probably need the same weight in resin. This means that if you’re laminating 5 layers of 200g carbon (so a total of 1000g of carbon) then you’ll want about 1000g (i.e. 1kg) of Epoxy Resin. If it was 2 layers of 450g glass then you’d need about 900g per square metre.Thickness of any reinforcement is dependent on consoldation (how much it’s ‘squashed down’. For this reason we generally give out thickness figures for when the reiforcement is consoldated under vacuum (1bar); this seems like the most useful figure. For example, a 90gsm carbon, a single layer, compressed under vacuum, would be about 0.1mm thick. For a 200gsm carbon a single layer would be about 0.25mm thick. This is the number you see listed under ‘thickness’ in the specification table.

An alternative option would be to consider making the part with an out of autoclave pre-preg carbon fibre where typically the resin systems can achieve a HDT up to 120°C.

Yes, I’m afraid it does to some extent. It’s nothing like as bad as amamid (carbon/Kevlar for example) but the polyester fibres do have that same annoying ‘fluffing’ when you breath through to them with abrasives. As mentioned, not as bad as aramid but still not like carbon or glass.

This carbon fibre twill blue roll is 1m (39″) wide and the fabric is sold by the linear metre. The unit price shown is for 1 linear metre but volume discounts automatically apply for larger quantities of fabric.

An engine rocker/cam cover may easily be exposed to hot oils at around 120°C as well as heat from the exhaust which would be dependent on the engine configuration and level of tune. As such we would recommend considering using a higher temperature resin system such as our Very High Temperature Epoxy Laminating Resin which, with an appropriate post-cure, can be used up to 180°C.Please note that owing to the 50% coloured polyester yarn content of this fabric it does not have the same mechanical properties as 100% carbon fibre fabric, although it is still a high performance fabric.

The carbon fabric itself will survive many hundreds of degrees and is not the limiting factor for almost all applications. The limiting factor will be the heat distortion temperature of the resin system you plan to laminate this fabric with.Decorative carbon fibre hybrid fabric made by interweaving genuine 3k carbon fibre with eye-catching blue polyester yarns to produce a black and blue carbon fibre appearance. Although this fabric is fully structural in its performance, it is usually used only in a single, decorative surface layer, either as the first layer into a mould or applied onto the surface of existing parts.It is suitable for use in wet-lay, vacuum bagging and resin infusion manufacture as well as for use as a single surface layer where parts are being made to look like carbon fibre (skinning).

Color Disclaimer: Due to individual user’s monitor settings, calibrations and lighting sources, the colors that appear on your screen may not be an exact representation of the actual product.

Our fabrics are sold by the linear yard, with the exception of our samples which are a single 4″x4″ (or 5″x7″) piece. The unit price displayed is for 1 linear yard; all volume discounts will be automatically applied when selecting larger quantities of fabric when added to your shopping cart, as indicated in the table above with quantity discount ranges for units purchased. This carbon fiber and aramid hybrid fabric combines the properties of both highly advanced fiber reinforcements. The carbon tow provides a very high level of strength and stiffness, while the aramid provides very good impact/abrasion/fracture resistance to the laminate layup. The aramid that is used in our cloth featuring colored aramid is DuPont Kevlar® while the natural or yellow aramid fabrics use either DuPont Kevlar or Lumat brand aramid. These fabrics are not just amazing looking cloths but combined with their unique weave patterns, they are ideal for usage in a wide variety of different applications. Many high-performance, high-impact applications can benefit from these materials such as boat building, automotive, military, racing, sporting goods and high strength paneling, just to name a few. Add Web-Lock to this Fabric: Web-Lock is a fabric stabilization process that locks the filaments of the fabric together, ensuring that the fabric maintains the original weave alignment even after being folded, wrinkled, or even cut into a smaller piece. Web-Lock can be applied to almost any fabric starting at $6.00/yard.The material is a hybrid of carbon fiber and Kevlar. This fabric has a width of 50″, tow size of 3k and is woven in a 2×2 twill weave. This is the most widely used weave pattern across multiple industries. This material was woven by reputable weavers across the US, and their long lasting presence in the composite industry will ensure you receive a quality material.

When using this material as a reinforcement in a part, you will want to use several layers of this fabric in each part. We also recommend rotating the composite layers to give the parts the same attributes in all directions. Non-structural components like body panels and covers will typically require only 1 or two layers of this cloth when combining this with other layers of reinforcement like standard carbon fiber or fiberglass fabrics.

Resin consumption is provided for the approximate amount of resin by weight in the final part after processing by vacuum infusion. This does not account for the resin used in the flow lines and consumables such as flow media or breather cloth. Wet-layup by hand will also have a higher resin consumption in the final part and depends on the user’s techniques. Vacuum bagging a wet layup will improve the resin content. Too much resin will cause a weaker part, not stronger. The average rule of thumb is around 45% (+/- a couple of percent). To calculate actual resin % in your part, a burn test is used. For example, you have a part weighing 100 grams, and you would burn off the resin, which would leave the fiber behind. You should have 55 grams of fiber left when your process is working correctly. Due to the variables in processing, it is hard to give an accurate amount of resin needed to purchase for making your part. However, you will have waste no matter what method is used. A suggested ratio is about 1-1.5lbs of resin per lb of fabric purchased.За исключением случаев, описанных здесь, содержимое этого сайта лицензировано на условиях лицензии Creative Commons «Атрибуция — На тех же условиях» версии 3.0 или любой более поздней версии.

There’s also less of a concern around leakage, because coastal trees are not as attractive for lumber so there is less illegal harvesting, Scheelk said.

As for the big three criteria that defines quality of credits — permanence, additionality, leakage — mangroves and other coastal ecosystems have a leg up on two: According to Scheelk, mangroves are more durable and have longer permanence timelines than traditional forests.Making the case for blue carbon sequestration, however, is more complicated because the challenges are more intricate. First, mangroves are being lost at an unprecedented rate. According to a 2001 study in BioScience, 35 percent of mangrove surface area was lost between 1980 and 2000 with 11 species on the verge of disappearing entirely. Tidal marshes and seagrass have also lost 50 and 30 percent of their surface areas, respectively. Funding planting and rehabilitating degraded coast ecosystems using credits is part of the solution.Scheelk has seen companies piece together several 100-acre plots of degrading mangroves or sea marshes just to make it cost-effective to certify a project. There isn’t a lot of continuous blue carbon degradation and mangroves only exist within a relatively small area, so everyone is getting creative to make the economies of scale work, he said.”The solution is not going to be planting mangroves necessarily, it’s restoring the conditions for those trees to grow,” Scheelk said. “Dealing with systemic issues around wastewater management or infrastructure.” Some examples of this type of infrastructure work include cleaning culverts to restore water flows, cleaning up agriculture pollution that has poisoned waters and soil, and the expansion of shrimp farms that have overwhelmed the coastlines. According to Scheelk, this all increases the costs of such projects. Blue carbon has captured the hearts and wallets of the carbon-crediting marketplace. Oceans are an under-tapped resource for storing carbon, while mangroves alone hold four to 10 times the CO2 sequestration potential of tropical rainforests. These types of numbers excite both environmental activists and investors, but there is still a huge gap in investment for blue carbon projects. According to Theisen, only 3 percent of all the climate investments is directed toward nature-based solutions and blue carbon projects get a small portion of that. But blue carbon project developers, such as the nonprofit The Ocean Foundation, are starting to get a lot of questions about how to invest in these types of programs. According to Scheelk, many countries where blue carbon projects are located don’t have the laboratory capacity to analyze soil carbon samples, forcing project developers and verifiers to ship the samples and pay for analysis in Europe, Australia or the U.S. That adds to the overall cost and siphons off investment from staying within the country. And that is just one part of the certification process, which also can include measuring trees, tracking pollution decreases, satellite monitoring, among others — most of these processes require sending scientists into remote, waterlogged places. While certification is a huge lift for any carbon credit project, for blue carbon projects are usually more remote, harder to traverse through and in more underdeveloped countries, which makes certification even harder and costlier. For one thing, blue carbon projects are usually in rural and hard-to-get-to locations, making not only the project but also the measurement and remeasurement of the carbon stores even harder.

Of course, price is dependent on the scope and type of project, as well as the lack of availability of projects and high levels of interest from first movers — all of which are increasing the value of blue carbon credits. But there are other reasons for the increase in costs.

But planting trees isn’t the main concern for restoration of these ecosystems, it’s addressing the infrastructure and development issues that have restricted the water or poisoned it.

Blue carbon refers to carbon sequestration approaches that use oceans and coastal ecosystems as carbon sinks. The most popular projects so far have mostly focused on mangroves in areas including Indonesia and South America. In 2021, Apple and Conservation International partnered in Colombia to enable an 11,000-acre mangrove in Cispata to became the first to have its entire carbon sequestration potential entered into the carbon market and verified by Verra. Conservation International also partnered with Procter & Gamble on the Philippines Palawan Protection Project to protect 110,000 acres of mangroves.While mangroves are the most common sort of blue carbon restoration projects, other approaches that involve protection and restoration of seagrass, marshes and kelp forests are starting to be developed. Even more nascent is the process of carbon sinking — taking seaweed and moving it to biodegrade on the ocean floor to sequester the carbon instead of letting it biodegrade near shorelines or on land.

Coastal ecosystems such as mangroves have the capability to store up to 10 times the amount of carbon as traditional land-based forests. The salty, wet environment keeps organic material from breaking down, and the complex roots hold onto sediment, keeping CO2 from releasing into the atmosphere. Mangroves aren’t alone in this ability; sea marshes and seagrasses can similarly store greater amounts of carbon than terrestrial projects, according to the Australia-based Blue Carbon Lab.The Gold Standard is also developing a mangrove methodology that isn’t based on adapting avoided deforestation methods. And the American Carbon Registry offers two blue carbon methodologies, the Restoration of Pocosin Wetlands (bogs) developed with The Nature Conservancy in 2016, and the Restoration of California Deltaic Coastal Wetlands, developed with Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta Conservancy and The University of California Berkeley in 2017.