Abstract:
We all agree that mangroves should be conserved and restored; they are beautiful, fascinating and useful. Our challenge comes in finding how to fund and support this work, whilst promoting justice and addressing the systemic global climate crisis. Using carbon finance is one approach. Despite years of research and hype, very few blue carbon projects have succeeded. Here I describe the scientific, ethical and financial rationales for using carbon finance in community-based mangrove work and illustrate these with the world’s first such project; Mikoko Pamoja in Kenya. I consider the reasons for success and the limitations of the model, along with prospects for similar work elsewhere.