Mangrove-based carbon market projects: What stakeholders need to address during pre-feasibility assessment

Mangrove-based carbon market projects (MbCMP) aim to conserve, protect and restore mangrove habitats in order to generate high quality blue carbon credits via a crediting program, as a contribution to climate change mitigation/adaptation, biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services provision and local socio-economic development. The blue carbon credits generated are transferable, verifiable and sold through carbon markets to earn additional income for governments and local communities. The main aim of the paper is to provide important considerations for pre-field planning, that is, how challenges associated with fieldwork, project implementation, and monitoring reporting and verification (MRV) can be addressed with proper pre-field planning. Herein, we present a comprehensive list of some major concerns, which should be addressed by MbCMP developers and other stakeholders prior to embarking on fieldwork and project implementation. Moreover, we propose a methodological protocol and guideline principles for enhancing field data collection, project implementation and MRV planning. This should help address the major concerns that contribute to inaccurate and controversial baselines and project scenarios around MbCMP. By addressing these major concerns and adhering to the proposed methodological protocol and guideline principles during pre-field preparation planning, MbCMP developers and the respective MbCMP stakeholders can effectively improve the accuracy and efficiency of field data collection to estimate robust and reliable baseline and project scenarios. This will go a long way to building public trust, support and engagement in MbCMP to achieve the desired positive ecological, economic and social outcomes.