West Africa Blue

West Africa blues projects are dedicated to the conservation and restoration of mangrove ecosystems throughout West Africa, with a focus on Guinea and Sierra Leone.

The primary goals of these projects are to mitigate the impacts of climate change, protect critical biodiversity, and enhance the livelihoods of local communities.

Blues first project in Sierra Leone was recently published as a pipeline listing on verras verified carbon standards (VCS) registry in August 2023 and can be found here.

General background information and countries context: according to the USAID - forest carbon, markets and communities (FCMC) project, mangroves in West Africa represent 13% of mangrove forests worldwide and cover more than 2. 4 million hectares across 19 countries. However, the region has experienced a rapid loss of its mangrove cover at a rate of 1. 7% per year.

At the same time, coastal communities in West Africa face high poverty levels, inequality, food insecurity, and vulnerability to the impacts of climate change such as sea level rise and coastal erosion. Women in particular face increased economic and social marginalization and climate vulnerability.

Blues project areas are home to traditional fishing communities that have turned to mangrove cutting as a way to make income due to depleted fish stocks from foreign trawlers.

Mangrove forests in Sierra Leone and Guinea are being deforested due to community members selling mangrove wood or using it for preserving fish through smoking, fuel for cooking, construction purposes, or other uses.

Further, mangroves play an essential role as nursery areas for fish and shellfish, which contribute more than $400 million annually to the regional economy.

Mangrove forests are also important for stabilizing the shoreline and buffering communities against the impacts of storms and sea level rise. Guinea Guineas continental shelf extends 300 km, covering a 47,400 km2 area dotted by inlets, tidal