Applied Solutions for Monitoring Coastal Habitats and Quantifying Blue Carbon Storage: An Integrated Approach for Sustainable Ecosystem Management

Acronym: BLUEQ

Project ID: IPA-ADRION00447

Funding: This project is supported by the Interreg IPA ADRION programme under the Interreg Funds (European Regional Development Fund and IPA III)

Duration: 09/2024 – 08/2027

Project website: https://blueq.interreg-ipa-adrion.eu/

Project summary: The Adriatic and Ionian Seas host extensive Posidonia oceanica meadows that are identified as a priority habitat type for conservation under the Habitats Directive (Dir 92/43/CEE). These underwater meadows perform important ecological functions and services, such as habitat provision for threatened or endangered species, fisheries and biodiversity support, and increased capacity of coastal communities to adapt to climate change through shoreline protection, resilience to storm surges, and rising sea levels. A lesser-known ecosystem service of Posidonia seagrass meadows is their immense potential for sequestration of Blue Carbon (BC), i.e., the carbon captured and stored by marine living organisms and ecosystems. This remarkable marine seagrass absorbs more carbon dioxide than an equivalent area of the Amazon rainforest and stores it in underlying organic deposits, known as “matte”, for thousands of years. It is estimated, however, that approximately 46% of the underwater meadows in the Mediterranean have experienced some reduction in range, density, and/or coverage, and 20% have severely regressed since the 1970s owing to unregulated coastal development, pollution and climate change.  

The BLUEQ project aims to address the critical conservation and management needs of Posidonia oceanica meadows in the Adriatic-Ionian Seas. Specifically, BLUEQ will deliver a GIS-based solution for automatically converting the spatial extent of seagrass meadows to carbon units and co-benefits (habitat provision). The BLUEQ Solution will be tailored to the needs of decision-makers and will develop the roadmap towards a Blue Carbon Strategy in the ADRION region. Through the BLUEQ observatory, the project will raise social awareness on the role of seagrass meadows in climate mitigation and secure transnational involvement in the long-term.

The Institute of GeoEnergy of the Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas (FORTH/IG), is the expert partner on BC stock assessment, the determination of BC accumulation rates and the assessment of the qualitative characteristics of BC that affect an ecosystem’s CO2 storage capacity.

PROJECT PARTNERS
LP1: University of the Aegean (UoA) (Greece)
PP2: Public Institution Nature of Sibenik- Knin County (PI Nature) (Croatia)
PP3: University of Palermo (UNIPA) (Italy)
PP4: AULEDA - Local Economic Development Agency (AULEDA) (Albania)
PP5: Regional Education and Information Centre for Sustainable Development in SE Europe (REIC) (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
PP6: Institute of modern technologies Montenegro (IMTM) (Montenegro)
PP7: Foundation for research and technology Hellas (FORTH) (Greece)

ASSOCIATED PARTNERS
AP1: Privredna komora Crne Gore (linked to PP6)
AP2: Περιφέρεια Κρήτης (linked to PP7)
AP3: Comune di Favignana-Ente Gestore dell’Area Marina Protetta “Isole Egadi” (linked to PP3)
AP4: Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, ISPRA (linked to PP3)