From Salt to C; carbon sequestration through ecological restoration - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

From Salt to C; carbon sequestration through ecological restoration of the Dry Creek Salt Field

Presentation Outline

➢ Science behind carbon sequestration in the tidal trial (Luke)

• What is the Blue Carbon sequestration potential of the salt fields in the course of

restoration?

• How do we measure C changes?
• What are the processes driving the restoration and carbon dynamics?

➢ Pathway to Market (Russell)

• International and National Methodologies
• Where is the demand?
• What additional benefits can be obtained through restoration?

Alongi, 2014

➢ Mangroves & saltmarshes have a high potential for carbon sequestration

“Blue Carbon”

• Recognition of relevance of carbon sequestration in coastal wetlands and aquatic

ecosystems (mangroves, saltmarshes and seagrass beds)

• Enhancement of their carbon storage potential

What are we are trying to achieve? Reconnection to tidal flows will lead to:

• revegetation with mangrove &

saltmarsh;

• increased C capture, and
• reduced GHG emissions reduction.

T3: C accounting &

• ffset registration

T1: Carbon dynamics & sequestration T2: Revegetation experiments T4: Co-benefit analysis & up-scaling

• C stock

measurement (biomass, soils)

• Sediment

accumulation rates

• GHG emission

measurements

• Transplantation &

seedling experiments

• Growth & C stock

measurement in experimental plots (biomass, soils)

• Evaluation of C

accounting methodologies for Australian context

• Roadmap for

registration

• Registration with

Clean Energy Regulator

• Geodatabase

refinement

• Data base for

local/regional ESV & co-benefits

• Co-benefit analysis

(social, economic & ecosystem services)

• Up-scaling of C-
• ffset & synthesis
• C accounting &

audit for project data

T5: Translation of outcomes, pathway to market

Long-term storage of soil carbon O2

CO2

Leaf litter [decomposition]

Consumption & bioturbation

Burial & sediment accretion Slow decomposition (input > decay)

Above- ground biomass

Exchange processes & Export POC, DOC, DIC

Below-ground biomass

(live & dead roots) Trapping of carbon and sediment from adjacent habitats Mangroves & saltmarshes T1: Carbon dynamics & sequestration

CH4

Disturbance

T1: Carbon dynamics & sequestration

• C stock measurement

(e.g. biomass, soils, suspended matter)

• Sediment accumulation rates
• short-term: Sediment Elevation Tables (SETs)
• long-term: 210Pb, 137Cs
• GHG emission measurements

Li-8100A gas flux measurements

Cahoon et al. (2002))

Measurements

• baseline
• ~9 months
• ~18 months

➢ Increases in C stock and sequestration through revegetation, reduction in emissions

T2: Revegetation experiments

• Transplantation & seedling experiments

e.g. mangrove propagules, rhizomes small plots inside & outside of pond, control, different elevation

• Growth & C stock measurement in experimental plots

(biomass, soils, emissions)

➢ Feasibility assessment for revegetation, identification of ‘windows of opportunity, reduction in GHG emissions, C-stock increase during recolonisation CO2 CO2 CO2 CH4 CH4 CH4 CH4

Succession

T3: C accounting & offset registration

International Verified Carbon Standards

Project Partners: Silvestrum Climate Associates USA Steve Crooks & Igino Emmer. Author of the Verified Carbon Standard

Energetics (2016) Modelling and analysis of Australia’s abatement opportunities

The total cumulative abatement opportunity in the period from 2021 to 2030 was estimated to be around 960 Mt CO2-e.

Why?

Reduce Australia’s domestic emissions by 26 to 28 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. How?

Ene Energetic ics re repor

• rt - Aba

Abatement po pote tentia ial l by by 2030 Mt Mt CO2 CO2-e Land sector

360 Mt CO2

across 11 abatement

• pportunities

(policy, methods not all fully developed)

Vegetation

247 Mt CO2

All have methodologies that create a ACCU or voluntary carbon credit. Emissions Reduction Fund

T4: Co-benefit analysis & up-scaling Co-benefit analysis :

• Economic returns
• Community development
• Knowledge
• Habitat connectivity
• Biodiversity increase
• Fisheries enhancement
• Resilience
• Flood mitigation
• Climate change adaptation

Geospatial data base Land cover classes (a) habitat condition, restoration phases (b) link with co-benefit database

• Up-scaling of C-offset & synthesis

T3: C accounting &

• ffset registration

T1: Carbon dynamics & sequestration T2: Revegetation experiments

Co-benefit model – spatial analysis of co-benefits over time Landscape scale restoration – environmental outcomes Measure and describe co-benefits – link to SDG and CBD

T5: Translation of outcomes, pathway to market Supply and Demand & the customer Voluntary Market

L’Oréal estimates that it will be progressively insetting about 400,000 tCO2e per year by 2020 to counterbalance its unavoidable emissions as well as emissions associated with downstream transportation.

T5: Translation of outcomes, pathway to market

Raising Ambitions: State of the Voluntary Market, (2016) Ecosystem Market Place

Adelaide - Carbon offsets totalling approx. 400 - 500,000 tonnes CO2-e per annum maybe required by 2019/20.

Potential Lower range ‘at scale’ estimates at 40,000 T CO2e Upper and lower scenarios deliver positive cash flow Variables Carbon price Hectares Yield Customer preferences Dry Creek – Coastal Carbon

Proof of concept

• Test carbon accounting methods
• Inform decision on restoration of larger salt field area – solving a problem
• Develop credits/brand for customers
• Demonstrate the value of native vegetation through integrated landscape restoration
• Creation of new carbon investment for restoration of degraded land

Proje ject Tea eam

Prof Sabine Dittmann A/Prof Erick Bestland A/Prof Huade Guan Harpinder Sandhu Dr Luke Mosley Prof Paul Sutton Dr Stephen Crooks Igino Emmer Prof Robert Costanza A/Prof James Stangoulis Dr Petra Marschner Molly Whalen Dr Murray Townsend Jason Quinn Russell Seaman Paul Sutton Beverley Clarke Jason Quinn Harpinder Sandhu