Communicating Blue CarbonBuilding Awareness, Capacity, Momentum, and Support
Stefanie SimpsonDec 11, 2018 | RAE CSO National Summit
Who we are - RAE• National Alliance• Living Shorelines• Water Quality• National Estuaries Week• Blue Carbon • Biennial National Summit
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RAE’s Blue Carbon Strategy• Supporting science through estuary-scale
assessments• Raising awareness and building capacity through
briefings and workshops• Connecting to carbon markets through market tools
and pilot projects• Exploring policy and regulatory options through
local and regional govts• Coordinating blue carbon initiatives across regions
…I talk about blue carbon A LOT
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Blue Carbon – It’s complicated!
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Communicating Tips• Know your audience• Identify your ask• Tell your story
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Know your audience• Who are you speaking to? • Ask yourself “why do they care?”• What is your ask?
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Framing the Topic• Blue Carbon is one piece of the puzzle
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Water Quality
Shoreline Protection
Bird Habitat
Recreation & Tourism
Commercial & Recreational Fish Catch Habitat
Reduced Flooding
Coastal Resiliency
SLR Adaptation
Climate Change Mitigation
Key Species Habitat
Make the Science Tangible
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People doing science!
Relate the Science to Local Priorities• How can the science be applied….
• To improve habitat management• Influence land use• Develop market projects• Influence policy
• And address local priorities…• Provide key fisheries habitat• Protect communities and infrastructure• Bring more resources for restoration & conservation• Achieve state GHG reduction goals
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Put the Numbers into ContextFull restoration of 11,600 acres captures 8.9 million tons CO2 = taking 1.7 million cars off the road for a year
Tampa Bay Habitats will capture and store 3.5 million tons CO2, offsetting 400 million gal gas
Draining of US wetlands emits up to 2 million tons CO2/yr1 million tCO2 = Burning 1 billion lbs coal
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EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculatorhttps://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator
Set yourself up for good discussion• What are you leaving your audience with?
• Next steps for a project?• Funding/resource needs?
• During the Q&A – Listen!• What is being asked?• Use the feedback
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Bringing home blue carbon• Blue carbon 101 – how I start every talk• Additional resources
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Blue Carbon 101• Frame the message• Define the term
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Blue Carbon 101• Make the connection to
what they already know• Visualize it
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Blue Carbon 101• The magic in the soils• Connection to other
ecosystem services
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Created by Adam Langley
Ability to build up C stores over time
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Adapting to sea-level rise
Blue Carbon 101• Define the problem
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Blue Carbon 101• And your solution
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Additional Resources• Video (5:47)• Infographic
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www.estuaries.org/bluecarbon
Thank you!
Stefanie SimpsonBlue Carbon Program Senior ManagerRestore America’s [email protected]
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www.estuaries.org/bluecarbon
mailto:[email protected]
Communicating Blue CarbonWho we are - RAERAE’s Blue Carbon StrategyBlue Carbon – It’s complicated!Communicating TipsKnow your audienceFraming the TopicMake the Science TangibleRelate the Science to Local PrioritiesPut the Numbers into ContextSet yourself up for good discussionBringing home blue carbonBlue Carbon 101Blue Carbon 101Blue Carbon 101Slide Number 21Blue Carbon 101Blue Carbon 101Additional ResourcesThank you!