Ana Sousa, researcher at CESAM and professor at the Department of Biology of the University of Aveiro (DBIO), is one of the authors of the new informational guide “Boosting Sustainability – Recommendations for the conservation of Coastal Wetlands and Blue Carbon storage in the Algarve”, recently published within the scope of the C-Land research project.
The C-Land project, coordinated by the University of the Algarve, had as its main objective to estimate the carbon storage potential of wetlands in the Algarve, providing a solid scientific basis to support public policies and coastal management strategies. This work was developed under the Science4Policy 2023 call (S4P-23), an initiative of PLANAPP – the Centre for Planning and Evaluation of Public Policies, in partnership with the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), and funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR).
The University of Aveiro, through CESAM and the Department of Biology, participated in the project as a partner institution, reinforcing CESAM’s role in producing scientific knowledge applied to the sustainability of coastal ecosystems and in supporting science-based public policymaking.
The newly published guide translates the results of the C-Land project into a practical decision-support tool, enabling an objective and consistent assessment of blue carbon storage potential in coastal wetlands. In addition, the guide provides an overview of the effects of mean sea level rise on wetland ecosystems in the Algarve up to 2100, using scientific tools to estimate the spatial variability of habitats and the services provided by these ecosystems. Its application contributes to more informed and sustainable decision-making in the context of regional coastal management, in a region particularly sensitive to the effects of climate change and human pressure.
The guide is available in open access.