Summary

We offer an intensive programme (30h training) with general lectures focused on the carbon stored in coastal and marine ecosystems, so-called Blue Carbon, but also field and experimental demonstrations of C budgets measurements.
This training is certified by the University of Lille, allowing participants to obtain a certificate corresponding to a 30h training (ECTS Doctoral credits).

Specific questions that will be addressed during the Blue Carbon Summer School 2023 :

• What is Blue Carbon ?
• How to calculate accurate C budgets ?
• Methodology (C Flux at the sediment-water interface, immersion, emersion) with field trip (estuary) & Lab. Demonstrations (benthic chambers, microsensors, flux measurements)
• Carbon Budgets in tidal marsh, mangroves, seagrasses, seaweeds
• From small scales to large scale (e.g., Teledetection, Blue Carbon and global change, Blue transformation UN 2030)
• How can we turn towards Blue Carbon in the near future ?
• The Future of Blue Carbon Science ?

For further details, see the paper from Peter I. Macreadie et al. in Nature Communications

The term Blue Carbon (BC) was first coined a decade ago to describe the disproportionately large contribution of coastal vegetated ecosystems to global carbon sequestration. The role of BC in climate change mitigation and adaptation has now reached international prominence. To help prioritise future research, we assembled leading experts in the field to agree upon the top-ten pending questions in BC science. Understanding how climate change affects carbon accumulation in mature BC ecosystems and during their restoration was a high priority.

Controversial questions included the role of carbonate and macroalgae in BC cycling, and the degree to which greenhouse gases are released following disturbance of BC ecosystems. Scientists seek improved precision of the extent of BC ecosystems; techniques to determine BC provenance; understanding of the factors that influence sequestration in BC ecosystems, with the corresponding value of BC; and the management actions that are effective in enhancing this value. Overall this overview provides a comprehensive road map for the coming decades on future research in BC science.