Sarah Hoyt/Conservation International

A CRITICAL INVESTMENT IN BLUE CARBON

Apple teamed up with Conservation International to develop a new approach to valuing the carbon-storing potential in mangroves in Colombia

Written byKipp Lanham

Coastal wetlands — known as “blue carbon” ecosystems — store up to 10 times the carbon per unit area as terrestrial forests, making them a vital ally in the fight against climate change. A new project from Conservation International will directly address the threats to carbon-rich mangrove forests in Colombia, conserving and restoring 11,000 hectares (27,000 acres) of natural forests. The project will remove an estimated 1 million tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in its lifetime.

Conservation International and regional partners – INVEMAR Research Institute and CVS (Coporación autónoma regional del Valle del Sinú) – aim to use the carbon value generated through the conservation and restoration of the Cispata mangroves to contribute to a long-term sustainable financing strategy for the region. For the 12,000 people who depend on the mangroves for food, firewood and livelihoods, the sale of carbon offsets will provide a degree of financial security as well as the initial funding needed to develop a sustainable ecotourism program and improve fishing practices in the region. Local wildlife will be protected, and a healthier mangrove forest will provide more secure employment — not to mention food security, water purification and better coastal protection against storm surges.

In partnership with Apple, this initiative is also helping to develop a new approach to valuing the full carbon potential of these rich marine ecosystems — from treetops down deep into the soil — and providing a model for other blue carbon initiatives in Colombia and around the world.In its first two years, the project aims to reduce emissions by at least 17,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, equivalent to the entire emissions of the fleet of vehicles updating Apple Maps over a decade.