14/03/2024 | Blue Carbon ecosystems, such as mangrove forests and seagrass or kelp meadows, play a vital role in the fight against climate change. Over recent months they have drawn increasing attention and gained momentum on the political and the societal level.
Yet, scientific knowledge of Blue Carbon ecosystems is still in its infancy in many instances and contexts. Therefore, JPI Oceans Joint Actions has recently launched a Blue Carbon Knowledge Hub as a platform and network “to facilitate the synthesis, exchange, and integration of knowledge on Blue Carbon ecosystems across Europe.”
The kick-off meeting for the Knowledge Hub was held online back in January 2024, when nominated scientific and policy experts and JPI Ocean Management Board representatives from nine countries were present.
Prof. Dr. Martin Zimmer, co-leader of Programme Area 4 “Ecosystem Co-Design towards a sustainable Anthropocene” and head of the Mangrove Ecology working group at ZMT, has since taken on the role of Vice-Chair of the newly formed group of experts of the Blue Carbon Knowledge Hub.
He says: “I am pleased and honoured to have been assigned the Vice-Chair of this Knowledge Hub and I look forward to working with my fellow European colleagues on a range of topics identified at our kick-off meeting. My main focus will be on ecosystem processes in Blue Carbon Ecosystems, including mangrove forests in the tropical European Outermost Regions and Overseas Countries and Territories, as well as co-design and the inclusion of local ecological knowledge in conservation and (re-) establishment measures.”
More about the JPI Ocean Knowlegde Hub: https://www.jpi-oceans.eu/en/blue-carbon-knowledge-hub-kicks
Knowledge Hub Experts:
The Scientific Lead Expert of the Blue Carbon Joint Action is Grace Cott, UCD, Ireland. Majbritt Bolton-Warberg, Marine Institute, Ireland and Yekaterina Astafyeva, JPI Oceans secretariat run a coordination unit.
Maurice Heral, ANR, France
Martin Zimmer, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), Germany
Thorsten Reusch, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Germany
Nadine Mengis, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Germany
Christian Baatz, Christian-Albrecht University of Kiel (CAU) Germany
Eugenia Apostolaki, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Greece
Grace Cott, UCD, Ireland
Anthony Grey DCU, Ireland
Sarah Camilleri, MCAST, Malta
Adam Gauci, University of Malta, Malta
Peter Haugan, Institute for Marine Research (IMR), Norway
Steven Lutz, Grid-Arendal, Norway
Solrun Figenschau Skjellum, NIVA - Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Norway
Karol Kuliński, Institute of Oceanology PAS, Poland
Caroline Culshaw, DEFRA, UK
Ruth Parker, CEFAS, UK
William Austin, St Andrews, UK
Iain Shepherd, DG Mare, EC
Larisa Lorintzi, DG Research & Innovation, EC
Contacts 
Working Groups