Towards a more complete SOCCR: Establishing a Coastal Carbon Data Network

Abstract:

The 2007 State of the Carbon Cycle Report (SOCCR) was highly influential in ensuring components of the carbon cycle were accounted for in national policy and related management. However, while SOCCR detailed the significance of North American coastal wetlands, it was not until recently that leading governments began to fully recognized these ecosystems for their carbon sequestration and storage capacity and hence the significant role coastal ecosystems can play in GHG emission reductions strategies, offset mechanisms, coastal management strategies and climate mitigation policy.

The new attention on coastal carbon systems has exposed limitations in terms of data availability and data quality, as well as insufficient knowledge of coastal carbon distributions, characteristics and coastal carbon cycle processes. In addition to restricting scientific progress, lack of comprehensive, comparable, and quality-controlled coastal carbon data is hindering progress towards carbon based conservation and coastal management.

To directly address those limitations, we are developing a Global Science and Data Network for Coastal “Blue” Carbon, with support from the Carbon Cycle Interagency Working Group. Goals include:

• Improving basic and applied science on carbon and GHG cycling in vegetated coastal ecosystems;

• Supporting a coastal carbon and associated GHG data archive for use by the science community, coastal and climate practitioners and other data users;

• Building the capacity of coastal carbon stakeholders globally to collect and interpret high quality coastal carbon science and data;

• Providing a forum and mechanism to promote exchange and collaboration between scientists and coastal carbon data users globally; and

• Outreach activities to ensure the best available data are globally accessible and that science is responsive to the needs of coastal managers and policy-makers.