Blue Africa

The Blue Africa team seeks to ensure carbon storage efforts in African coastal and marine ecosystems are aligned with the needs of African people. By addressing key data gaps and empowering decision-makers, research synthesis will facilitate informed policy development that supports both ecological health and community resilience.

Africa’s coastal and marine ecosystems are vital for global conservation and climate mitigation goals, particularly through their role as “blue carbon sinks” such as mangroves, seagrass, and salt marshes. Despite the significant potential for carbon sequestration, existing initiatives often overlook the specific needs of African communities and ecosystems, leading to risks for biodiversity, livelihoods, and food security. This project aims to synthesise data on the carbon sequestration capacity of these marine ecosystems and assess their contributions to biodiversity and local livelihoods, while identifying critical trade-offs and co-benefits.

Through collaboration with stakeholders like the Future Ecosystems for Africa Programme, Conservation International, and UNESCO-IOC, the outcomes will contribute to national and regional policy frameworks, including continental and international policy discussions at UN climate change and biodiversity negotiations, promoting sustainable development within Africa’s blue economy.

Project Team Leads:

• Laura Pereira – University of Witwatersrand
• Mike Olendo – Coastal and Marine Resource Development (COMRED)
• Ibukun Adewumi –  The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO/IOC)

Contributing Members:

• Joachim Claudet – CNRS
• Odirilwe Selomane – University of Pretoria
• Kim Zoeller – University of Witwatersrand
• Juliette Jacquemont – University of Washington
• Rashid Sumaila – University of British Columbia and University of Pretoria
• Kelly Ortega-Cisneros – University of Cape Town
• David Obura – CORDIO East Africa
• Lynne Shannon – University of Cape Town
• Yago Amemou – University of San Pedro
• James Kairo – Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute
• Juliet Hermes – South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON)
• Maggie Reddy – University of Cape Town, University of Galway
• Olusola Adeoye – Coast2Deep – Sea Initiative, Nature Cares Resource Centre
• Stephanie d’Agata – Universite de La Reunion
• Loyiso Dunga – South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI)
• Denis Aheto – University of Cape Coast
• Blandina Lugendo – University of Dar es Salaam
• Samuel Akande – Federal University of Technology Akure
• Denise Nicolau – International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
• Jean-Baptiste Jouffray – Stanford Centre for Ocean Solutions
• Salomão Bandeira – Eduardo Mondlane University, Mozambique
• Tommy Bornman – South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON)
• Clea Abello – University of Cape Town