Dr Siti Maryam Yaakub
Senior Director, Blue Carbon Institute
Dr Siti Maryam Yaakub leads the International Blue Carbon Institute’s global efforts in translating blue carbon science into tools and methodologies for climate mitigation and adaptation. Based in Singapore, she spearheads initiatives aimed at fostering multidisciplinary expertise and cultivating a resource hub for knowledge exchange. As a distinguished marine ecologist, her work spans tropical marine and coastal habitats. Her portfolio and research interests encompass the areas of ecosystem restoration and nature-based solutions for adaptation and mitigation in marine environments. She has a special interest in using seagrass habitats as a model system for understanding ecological thresholds to stress, ecosystem resilience, and the effects of human activities and climate change on the marine environment.
Panel Discussion – Blue Carbon: Challenges and Opportunities
Blue Carbon is gaining traction in carbon credit development, shifting from the traditional focus on generating "green" credits from land-based ecosystems like forests. The "Challenges of Implementing Blue Carbon Market" panel explores barriers in expanding blue carbon projects amid rising global interest and costly accreditation processes and soil carbon oversight that hinder progress.
DHI's advanced ecosystem carbon model offers potential solutions. Their advanced carbon sequestration model, powered by MIKE Powered by DHI software, offers precise site-specific insights into carbon storage capabilities. These innovative models have the potential to transform the accreditation of blue carbon, potentially altering our approach to climate change mitigation.
A central theme of the discussion will be the often-overlooked role of coral reefs in carbon balance. Coral reefs' role in carbon balances and their interconnectedness with ecosystems like seagrass meadows will be discussed, emphasizing conservation's importance.
The challenges are substantial, with declining coral reefs and urgent greenhouse gas reduction needs. Active interventions and ecosystem preservation are essential, recognizing marine ecosystems as more than carbon storage but also contributors to biodiversity, coastal protection, and socio-economic activities. The panel seeks to illuminate these challenges and guide climate change mitigation efforts.
