Could coastal ecosystems hold the key to combating climate change?

March 20 2024

Monash Masters Student Megha Purushotham and Fiji Assistant Prof Dr Shalini Singh.

Pacific Island nations such as Fiji are on the frontline of climate change, facing rising sea levels, extreme weather events and coastal erosion.

But beneath their waves lies a secret weapon: expansive mangrove forests, seagrass meadows and salt marshes.

These marine ecosystems have the remarkable ability to capture and store carbon dioxide for millennia.

So why is this powerful natural solution – known as blue carbon - largely absent from climate mitigation strategies in the region?

This is the question driving Monash University Master of Environment and Sustainability student Megha Purushotham.

Her research for the Pacific Islands for Climate Transitions (PACT) research centre, a joint research venture with Fiji National University (FNU), will explore how this untapped resource can help empower island nations in the fight against climate change.

In collaboration with FNU’s Assistant Professor Dr Shalini Singh, Ms Purushotham will interview key stakeholders to uncover the policy gaps and challenges that have hindered blue carbon from realising its full potential.

Ms Purushotham said overlooking the true value of these ecosystems in favour of short-term economic gains had come at a cost.

“Nature-based solutions play a crucial role in mitigating climate change, but the value of these marine ecosystems is yet to be recognised because they are over-exploited for economic development and livelihoods,” Ms Purushotham said.

“Blue carbon has also been overlooked due to the absence of an institutional framework and there is a substantial gap between its potential and implementation.”

The research aims to influence policy and inspire cross-organisational collaboration, according to Dr Singh.

“The research will make recommendations for the inclusion of seagrass and mangrove habitats in national or regional climate mitigation policies, since there is extensive scientific evidence acknowledging both as productive systems for absorbing atmospheric carbon,” Dr Singh said.

“It will also help identify new information regarding works being carried out in the Pacific by governments, NGOs and tertiary institutions, which will be helpful for organisations wanting to collaborate on similar projects.”

Partnership key to PACT's impact

Senior Lecturer Dr Benjamin Thompson.

Ms Purushotham’s supervisor, Senior Lecturer Dr Benjamin Thompson, said the partnership between Monash University and FNU was key to the project’s impact.

“Besides the different expertise that each member of the research team brings, Fiji National University has existing mangrove and seagrass field sites and blue carbon connections in Fiji, which increase the feasibility of the research,” Dr Thompson said.

The research could serve as a valuable blueprint for other regions grappling with climate change and seeking natural solutions.

“Under the biggest international climate change treaty, the Paris Agreement, countries submit pledges called Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), that set out their mitigation targets and how they expect to achieve this,” he said.

“At COP28, it was confirmed that all countries will submit new NDCs in 2025, so this project is a timely opportunity to explore whether Fiji sees value in incorporating blue carbon into these, and how they could change their climate change and marine conservation policies to achieve this.”

PACT focuses on the business and economics implications of climate change – a growing area of academic research sought by policymakers looking to fund effective mitigation and adaptation.