Green Bond for Coastal Protection and Restoration - Mata Atlântica

Overview

Location: Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brazil

Description: This project utilizes green bonds to finance a large-scale coastal protection and restoration initiative in the Mata Atlântica biome. The project focuses on mangrove restoration, implementation of sustainable coastal defense infrastructure, and community engagement in coastal resource management.

Project Landscape

Key Features and Benefits

Environmental

• Coastal Ecosystem Protection: The project protects vital coastal ecosystems, including mangroves, salt marshes, and sand dunes, which provide essential habitat and ecosystem services.
• Enhanced Carbon Sequestration: Mangrove restoration significantly enhances carbon sequestration, contributing to climate change mitigation. Coastal ecosystems are highly effective carbon sinks.
• Reduced Coastal Erosion: The project implements nature-based solutions and sustainable infrastructure to reduce coastal erosion and protect coastal communities from rising sea levels and storms.
• Improved Water Quality: Restoring and protecting coastal ecosystems improves water quality by filtering pollutants and reducing runoff.
• Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation: The project contributes to both climate change adaptation (by protecting coastlines from climate change impacts) and mitigation (through carbon sequestration).

Biodiversity

• Marine Biodiversity Protection: The project protects marine biodiversity by conserving and restoring crucial coastal habitats.
• Mangrove Conservation and Restoration: Mangroves are vital nurseries for many marine species and provide critical habitat. The project focuses on conserving and restoring these important ecosystems.
• Sea Turtle Nesting Site Protection: The project helps protect sea turtle nesting sites, which are often threatened by coastal development and human activities.
• Endangered Coastal Species Protection: The project contributes to the protection of endangered coastal species by preserving and restoring their habitats.
• Enhanced Ecosystem Resilience: By restoring and protecting coastal ecosystems, the project enhances their resilience to environmental changes and disturbances.

Social

• Job Creation in Conservation and Restoration: The project creates jobs in coastal conservation, restoration, and related fields, providing economic opportunities for local communities.
• Sustainable Tourism Opportunities: Healthy coastal ecosystems support sustainable tourism, generating income and raising awareness about coastal conservation.
• Improved Coastal Protection: The project improves coastal protection for local communities, reducing their vulnerability to storms, erosion, and sea-level rise.
• Stakeholder Empowerment: The project empowers local stakeholders by involving them in coastal resource management and decision-making processes.
• Community Development Support: By providing jobs, income, and improved coastal protection, the project contributes to sustainable community development in coastal areas.

Potential Impacts

Environmental

• Careful Planning and Management: Effective coastal protection and restoration requires careful planning and management to minimize environmental disruption and ensure long-term success.
• Ecosystem Disruption (Temporary): Restoration activities may cause temporary disruption to existing ecosystems.
• Coastal Ecosystem Monitoring: Ongoing monitoring of coastal ecosystems and biodiversity is crucial to assess the project's effectiveness and adapt management strategies as needed.
• Community Participation in Coastal Management: Active community participation in coastal management is essential for long-term sustainability.
• Resource Conflict Potential: The project needs to address potential conflicts over coastal resources among different stakeholders.

Biodiversity

• Marine Life Impacts (Temporary): Restoration activities may temporarily impact local marine life.
• Biodiversity Impact Assessment: Thorough biodiversity impact assessments are necessary to identify and mitigate potential risks to coastal species and habitats.
• Mitigation Measures: Implementing appropriate mitigation measures is crucial to minimize negative impacts on biodiversity.
• Long-Term Biodiversity Monitoring: Ongoing monitoring of biodiversity is essential to assess the project's long-term effects.
• Invasive Species Risk: Careful management is needed to prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species in coastal ecosystems.

Social

• Community Consultation and Engagement: Meaningful community consultation and engagement are essential throughout the project lifecycle.
• Community Displacement Risk: Careful planning is necessary to avoid displacement of communities due to project activities.
• Equitable Benefit Sharing: Ensuring equitable benefit sharing among stakeholders is crucial for social equity and project success.
• Transparency and Accountability: Transparency and accountability in bond issuance, project management, and benefit sharing are essential for building trust and ensuring responsible use of funds.
• Social Inequality Risk: Careful management is needed to prevent the project from exacerbating existing social inequalities.

Project Metrics and Links

Metric	Description	Unit	Value
Project Start	Project initiation year	Year	2023
Area	Total project area	Hectares	7,000
Estimated CO2 Removal (10 years)	Carbon sequestration potential over 10 years	tCO2e	70,000
Estimated CO2 Removal (20 years)	Carbon sequestration potential over 20 years	tCO2e	168,000
Estimated CO2 Removal (30 years)	Carbon sequestration potential over 30 years	tCO2e	252,000
Total Estimated CO2 Removal	Total carbon sequestration potential over 30 years	tCO2e	490,000

Links:

• Digital Due Diligence:
  Link to Due Diligence Document/Platform

• B3 Green Bonds Information:
  Link to Green Bond Information

• Verra Carbon Credit Registry:
  Link to Carbon Credit Registry

Changelog

• 2023-02-21: Initial project documentation created.

Contributors

• Manuela Souza (LinkedIn Profile)