Presented by Daniel Murdiyarso (CIFOR-ICRAF) at MMM6 on 27 July 2023 in Cartagena

1. Incorporating Coastal Blue Carbon in
Forest Reference Emissions Level
and Market Potential
27 July, 2023
Daniel Murdiyarso, Sigit D Sasmito, and Rupesh K Bhomia

2. Outline
• Introduction
• Blue Carbon and IPCC Guidelines
• Why FREL?
• Emission Factors
• Implementation
• The Market Place

3. GHG
Inventory
• 2006 IPCC Guidelines
LULUCF
• Mangrove
• Seagrass AFOLU
• Salt marshes
National
Reporting
• National Communications
• Biennial Update Reports
Paris
Agreement
1.5 oC
GHG
Inventory
• 2013 IPCC Supplement
Blue
Carbon
• Mangrove
• Seagrass WETLANDS
• Salt marshes
National
Reporting
• National Communications
• Biennial Update Reports
• NDC
Blue Carbon and IPCC Guidelines

4. Why FREL/FRL?
● Obligation of parties engaging in REDD+
projects
(https://redd.unfccc.int/submissions.html?topic=6)
● To be submitted to UNFCCC secretariat for
public inputs and feedback
● Used as the basis for result-based payment
for CC mitigation projects
Photo: Sigit Sasmito

5. Aboveground
Biomass
Dead organic
matter
Soil carbon
2
3
4
Mineral: 286 (55-1376) (ton C ha-1) (Table 4.11)
Litter: 0.7 (0-1.3) (ton ha-1)
Dead wood: 10.7 (6.5-14.8) (ton ha-1)
(Table 4.7)
Tropical Wet 0.49 (0.04-1.1)
Root/shoot ratio, R (Table 4.5)
Tropical Wet 192 (8.7-384) (ton ha-1) (Table 4.3)
1
Source: 2013 IPCC Wetlands Supplement
Belowground
Biomass
Default Values – Tier 1

6. Carbon Pools in Different Categories – Indonesia case
IPCC default
value
Undisturbed
mangrove
Regenerated
mangrove
Degraded
mangrove
Aquaculture
(fishpond)
94.1
(4.3-188)
[187, 204]
101.67
(4.79)
[92, 111]
58.06
(8.17)
[41, 75]
20.98
(6.05)
[7, 35]
11.01
(3.86)
[2, 20]
46.1
(2.1-92.4)
28.70
(1.65)
[25, 32]
15.80
(3.77)
[8, 24]
6.01
(1.43)
[2, 10]
2.64
(1.30)
[-0.5, 6]
10.7
[7, 15]
14.47
(1.22)
[12, 17]
13.49
(2.52)
[8, 19]
24.34
(6.67)
[8, 41]
3.39
(2.72)
[-31, 38]
286
(55-1376)
[247, 330]
258.44
(32.40)
[193, 324]
296.41
(20.11)
[255, 338]
215.66
(38.07)
[133. 299]
259.08
(90.53)
[26, 492]
Note: Numbers in brackets in column 1 are range of default values and the Standard Errors for other columns;
Numbers in square brackets are the 95% Confidence Intervals

7. Total Ecosystem Carbon Stocks – Stock Difference vs Gain-Loss approach
Murdiyarso et al. (2023). Carbon Bal Manage

8. Mangrove on peat/organic soils – Gain-Loss approach and opportunity for
future FRL refinement in Indonesia
Murdiyarso et al. Under review., Sasmito et al. 2020
0
500
1000
1500
2000
Arguni Bay Bintuni Bay
South
Etna Bay Bintuni Bay
North
Teminabuan
(b)
Sites
Carbon
stocks
(Mg
C
ha
-1
)
(c)
Hydrogeomorphic settings

9. Land-use Change Trajectories – refinement opportunity for Indonesia
● Degradation (loss)
○ Deforestation
○ Conversion
● Restoration (gain)
○ Management
○ Protection

10. Voluntary Markets – Standard/methodology

11. Take Home Messages
● Although the default values of emission
factors are publicly available, higher
tiers is preferred
● The stock-difference approach is
commonly adopted and widely
acceptable for mineral soils, but maybe
not relevant for mangrove on peatland
● Soil carbon assets beyond standardized
top meter are worth exploring in
voluntary markets

12. Thank you
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