Optimizing mangrove afforestation site selection in gulf cooperation council nations using remote sensing and machine learning.

Mangrove forests are vulnerable coastal ecosystems that provide multiple ecosystem services and act as blue carbon sinks. Mangroves in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries of the Arabian peninsula (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE) have faced pressure from numerous anthropogenic factors including population growth, dredging and reclamation in lagoonal habitats, pollution and rapid urban development. Given the inconsistent outcomes of past mangrove ARR (Afforestation-Reforestation-Revegetation) efforts, our research aimed to identify high-potential ARR sites in the GCC using remote sensing.

Mangrove-based carbon market projects: What stakeholders need to address during pre-feasibility assessment.

Mangrove-based carbon market projects (MbCMP) aim to conserve, protect and restore mangrove habitats in order to generate high quality blue carbon credits via a crediting program, as a contribution to climate change mitigation/adaptation, biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services provision and local socio-economic development. The blue carbon credits generated are transferable, verifiable and sold through carbon markets to earn additional income for governments and local communities. The main aim of the paper is to provide important considerations for pre-field planning, that is, how challenges associated with fieldwork, project implementation, and monitoring reporting and verification (MRV) can be addressed with proper pre-field planning.