£40,000 boost for local climate change research

Monday 19 December 2022

The Jersey International Centre of Advanced Studies has been awarded £40,000 by the Jersey Community Foundation to fund ongoing research in the fight against climate change.

The fund will specifically support ongoing research into the processes of 'blue carbon' in our seas, being carried out with the Government of Jersey ‘Marine Resources Team’ and the Department of Biosciences at the University of Exeter.

'Blue carbon' is a relatively new area of study and aims to understand how carbon dioxide can be captured by the sea bed. A detailed study on the potential for blue carbon in Jersey's waters was released earlier this year, with research led by Dr Paul Chambers. 

HUGE thanks!! to @JsyFoundation for this funding! https://t.co/RNvFzEXNhL

No doubt, it is this type of commitment and support that will help our #island community become #carbon neutral by 2030 while modelling new ways to capture and store #bluecarbon #wedoisland pic.twitter.com/85KncXQAwL

— JICAS (@JICASJSY) November 22, 2022

At a basic level, specialist research divers using underwater body cameras will measure the amount of carbon in organic marine material, such as sea grass, calcified crustacean shells, maerl beds, and decomposed organic material to estimate the amount of carbon captured by the sea bed. 

The objectives of the research are to explore whether blue carbon can help to reduce Jersey’s net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and help it to become carbon neutral, as well as to create mechanisms for other island states to lead in carbon capture for carbon credits which could generate income for islands like Jersey. 

Pictured: A map showing the distibution of 'blue carbon' habitats in Jersey's territorial waters. 

This research is being carried out at various locations across the Norman-Bretagne Gulf and the results of this study can be applied to islands around the globe. The research is part of an ongoing 3-to-4-year project; however, it could take up to 15 to 20 years of further research to fully understand the benefit of blue carbon. 

Director of JICAS, Dr Sean Dettman, says, “We are both thrilled and grateful to have been awarded Lottery Funds by JCF for our joint blue carbon studies... We anticipate that our project will help Jersey and other island nations around the world to become carbon neutral and counter global warming...We are thankful for the ongoing support of the Government of Jersey, as well as the expert work of our colleagues at the Marine Resources Team and the University of Exeter.”

Anna Terry, Chief Executive Officer at Jersey Community Foundation, says, “The environmental, ecological, and financial benefits of this research to Jersey cannot be underestimated considering the climate emergency our island and the rest of the world faces. As such, we are very pleased to support this vital study. We wish JICAS, the University of Exeter, and the Marine Resources Team all the very best with this critical research.”