Indonesia, home to the largest mangrove forests in the world, is set to introduce a groundbreaking national blue carbon measurement manual, along with standards and methodologies for certifying mangrove restoration projects. These efforts, spearheaded by the Indonesian government, aim to leverage the nation’s immense blue carbon potential in the fight against climate change.
A global leader in blue carbon
To enhance and accelerate mangrove blue carbon-related climate actions in Indonesia—the world’s most mangrove-rich country—the Ministry of Environment and Forestry initiated the development of two documents: the (i) Mangrove blue carbon measurement manual and (ii) the Standards and methodologies for the development and certification of mangrove blue carbon projects. This effort is being carried out in collaboration with researchers from the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), who are part of the drafting team. One of the stages of preparing the documents was a focus group discussion.
The Minister of Environment and Forestry, Siti Nurbaya, provided guidance on preparing a manual for measuring mangrove blue carbon, along with standards and methodologies for developing and certifying mangrove blue carbon projects. Photo by Gumilang Mula Putra Suhendar/CIFOR-ICRAF
The focus group on the Mangrove blue carbon measurement manual to achieve FOLU Net Sink 2030, held on October 2024, brought together a range of stakeholders, including Indonesia’s outgoing Environment and Forestry Minister, Siti Nurbaya. In her opening remarks, Nurbaya acknowledged the complexity of preparing the manual and standards, citing the challenge of theoretical frameworks with empirical data and practical experiences to ensure they are feasible for nationwide implementation.
“I appreciate the recent collaborative efforts across sectors in developing the Mangrove Blue Carbon Measurement Manual. This project, involving key ministries, institutions, partners, and academics—alongside Indonesia’s FOLU Net Sink 2030 Working Team, IPB University, and CIFOR-ICRAF—has set a solid foundation for advancing our work on carbon measurement,” Nurbaya said. She expressed hopes that the manual and standards would provide a solid foundation for governance and serve as a benchmark for standardizing the implementation of mangrove blue carbon projects across the country.
With its expansive mangrove forests, Indonesia is uniquely positioned to play a crucial role in global climate efforts. As nations worldwide look to blue carbon ecosystems to mitigate carbon emissions, the country is poised to capitalize on its natural assets.
“I remember President Jokowi declaring that 80% of our country’s potential likely stems from our mangrove forests,” said Ruandha Agung Sugardiman, chairman of Indonesia’s Forestry and Other Land Uses (FOLU) Net Sink 2030 working team. In his remarks, Sugardiman outlined Indonesia’s ambitious climate goals, as the FOLU NetSink 2030 initiative aims to ensure that the carbon absorption from forestry and land-use sectors will surpass its emissions by 20230.
Ruandha Agung Sugardhiman (left), Daniel Murdiyarso (centre), and Trialaksita Ardhani (right) present the newly developed publications to stakeholders at a focus group discussion on 17 October 2024. Photo by Gumilang Mula Putra Suhendar/CIFOR-ICRAF
However, despite the promise of Indonesia’s mangroves, the government currently lacks comprehensive data on the blue carbon stocks these ecosystems hold. “We don’t know precisely which mangroves hold the most carbon yet,” Sugardiman admitted. “So, this manual is essential to prove to the world that the blue carbon we’re offering is real—and we’ll back it up with detailed maps.”
A standardized approach
“During our discussions, the research team shared three components for advancing blue carbon efforts,” said Daniel Murdiyarso, CIFOR-ICRAF’s principal scientist. “First, the Mangrove blue carbon measurement draft manual, then the draft standards and methodologies for developing and certifying blue carbon projects in Indonesia. Lastly, they unveiled i-Mangrove, an innovative online platform that compiles data on mangrove loss and restoration opportunities.”
The new manual aims to standardize the measurement of mangrove blue carbon in Indonesia, adhering to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines. It also adopted the Guidelines Supplement for Wetlands, ensuring transparency, accuracy, completeness, comparability and consistency principles. The data is drawn from various government sources, aligning with Indonesia’s emission factors to support the ambitious FOLU Net Sink 2030 target.
The CIFOR-ICRAF research team collects soil samples for carbon stock measurement. Photo by Daniel Murdiyarso/CIFOR-ICRAF
“We exclude mangrove leaf litter from the necromass due to its variability and interactions with the tides and crabs,” said Trialaksita Ardhani, a CIFOR-ICRAF Research Assistant who contributed to the manual. “Plus, the manual emphasizes taking soil samples more than 100 cm or can reach 300 cm. This is to anticipate obtaining underestimated soil carbon stocks,” Ardhani continues, stressing the importance of capturing accurate data for carbon calculations.
“For carbon emission calculations, one can use either the stock-difference or gain-loss approaches, as guided by the IPCC, once the activity data is known,” explained Ardhani. “We also provided examples, including how to use a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to support users in easily calculating carbon stocks in biomass, necromass, and soil, ultimately producing total ecosystem carbon stocks.”
Murdiyarso also outlined the draft Standard and methodology for developing and certifying of blue carbon mangrove projects. The draft highlights three key elements: (i) alignment with Indonesian legal regulations, including the National Registry System and Indonesian Emission Reduction Certificate,(ii) methodologies for calculating baseline emissions and reductions and (iii) the integration of international standards into the Indonesian framework.
Additionally, CIFOR-ICRAF has explored three standards and methodologies for international carbon project certification: the Verified Carbon Standard (VSC), Plan Vivo (PV) and Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF).
“Each has its focus: VCS is land-use oriented, PV focuses on community engagement and ERF is government-driven, emphasizing indigenous communities,” said Murdiyarso. “So, we examined the sticking points in these methodologies and suggested ways to harmonize them within the Indonesian system.”
“I firmly believe that mangrove blue carbon is one of the key solutions to climate change,” says Murdiyarso. “What sets mangroves apart is the distinct nature of their communities compared to peatlands, offering a significant opportunity to enhance livelihoods.”
Tools for the future
At the focus group discussion, Sigit Deni Sasmito, senior researcher at TropWATER, James Cook University, Australia, demonstrated i-Mangrove. ” The platform helps implement climate actions related to Indonesia’s mangrove blue carbon, ” Sasmito explained. “Its main feature is to identify areas with the potential for mangrove restoration and map mangrove loss in Indonesia between 2001 and 2022. Additionally, the app provides hydro-geomorphic information for the affected areas.”
Minister Siti Nurbaya praised the collaborative effort in producing the manual, which she hopes will become a valuable resource for practitioners, researchers, and policymakers.
Murdiyarso hopes the manual, related documents and tools will be a legacy for Indonesia’s future generations. “The mangroves are Indonesia’s natural treasure, a gem and the heart of a nation. This ecosystem is the backbone of millions providing to communities and local biodiversity dependent on their resources,” said Murdiyarso. “So when we are struggling to stir up the mud or measure the diameter of mangrove trees [to calculate carbon stocks], let’s remember the human faces that rely on these ecosystems.”
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