Ecossistemas de carbono azul e as sinergias entre medidas de mitigação e adaptação às mudanças globais e eventos extremos: o caso dos manguezais da Baía de Sepetiba - RJ

Abstract

Forest conservation is a strategy recognized as an essential factor in mitigating global change. Among the main ecosystems that provide this function are mangrove forests, which are also responsible for reducing the vulnerability of the coastal region to climate variations and extreme events. Mangroves are one of the most high-carbon ecosystems in the tropics, being the most productive, biologically relevant and important carbon storers and sequesters. The carbon stored, sequestered and emitted by coastal and ocean ecosystems, including mangroves, is known as Blue Carbon. This study included an extensive literature review on Blue Carbon, the capacity to mitigate and adapt to climate change, the potential of mangroves to produce and maintain Blue Carbon, and the supply of associated ecosystem services. Remnant mangrove forests in Sepetiba Bay, within the limits of the Metropolitan Region of Rio de Janeiro, were selected to identify, quantify, analyze and value these services. Carbon stock estimates were 472,000 tC and carbon sequestration potential 5,700 tC.year-1. The main ecosystem services generated by mangroves have been estimated at R$980 billion. Economically, the relevance of the ecosystem services provided by the mangrove forest goes far beyond the value of the carbon stored and sequestered by the forest, and the other services provided, which are commonly not valued, have been significant.