About This Project

Carbon-rich mangroves are being deforested globally, but a rare project has 'successfully' conserved and restored mangroves via blue carbon credits and community efforts in the MPA of Cispatá, Colombia. This pilot study will qualitatively analyze the benefits, challenges, community perceptions and governance of this project and provide insight for designing equitable and replicable blue carbon projects that enhance community livelihoods and climate resilience by protecting coastal ecosystems.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

Blue carbon credits are offered as a novel solution for mitigating climate change by restoring coastal ecosystems, however, they rarely have input from local communities. Since 2021, Vida Manglar in Cispatá Bay, Colombia, an outlier blue carbon project, is purported to be inclusive of coastal communities while conserving and restoring 7,561 ha of coastal mangrove forests, which are vital for carbon storage, biodiversity, livelihoods, and climate resilience. Colombia has the highest loss of mangroves in South America and like many countries in the Global South, faces enormous challenges in adapting to the climate crisis. Is the Vida Manglar blue carbon project succeeding in being equitable and inclusive of coastal communities and can this be replicated in other projects?

What is the significance of this project?

While blue carbon credits are funded globally as climate solutions by governments, industry, and ENGOs, there are no in-depth, qualitative studies of the impacts on coastal communities . Most mangrove blue carbon research is quantitative and conducted in resource-rich countries like the US and Australia, with immersive, qualitative research, especially in the Global South, lacking. I address this through an innovative, participatory field study to empirically observe and consult with coastal communities via mixed-methods interviews, focus groups, and surveys for a blue carbon project in Colombia. It is critical to understand whether blue carbon projects can be truly equitable and effective for climate resilience and sustainable development in coastal communities of the Global South.

What are the goals of the project?

The goal of this research is a 4-month immersive, qualitative study of coastal communities and the Vida Manglar blue carbon project. I will observe and identify key community demographics and conduct interviews, focus groups, and surveys with members directly connected to and impacted by the project such as staff, fisherfolk, lumber harvesters, and tourism operators. I will analyze this data to determine shifts in community perceptions, livelihoods, and values since the project's implementation, and its impacts on socio-economics and gender dynamics. The study will investigate and identify if specific socio-cultural factors contribute to the project's success, assess challenges, and provide actionable recommendations through academic publications, community workshops, and a NGO report.