Skip to Content

Resource hub

Ascension Island Natural Capital Assessment: Valuation of carbon storage, sequestration and social cost by benthos in Ascension Island’s EEZ 2019

Marine Overseas Territories Accumulation Asset Biological Carbon sequestration Climate regulation Ecosystem Regulating services Sequestration Storage

Abstract

As it grows and reproduces, life on seabeds (benthos) accumulates carbon and is a major source of carbon storage, termed ‘blue carbon’. Through long-term aging, burial and ultimately conversion to rock, benthos removes carbon from cycling (between air and water), referred to as 'sequestration'. Seabed mapping, seabed camera imagery and collections of seabed life were used to estimate how much carbon is being stored by benthos in water shallower than 1,000 m deep in Ascension Island’s Exclusive Economic Zone. This essentially comprises of coastal waters around Ascension Island and three seamounts (Harris-Stewart, Grattan and Un-named).

This study was undertaken as part of a programme of Natural Capital Assessment (NCA) in the UK's South Atlantic Overseas Territories implemented by JNCC and conducted by SAERI. Funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) of the UK Government through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF), the work sits under the Environmental Resilience programme which includes objectives to integrate natural capital considerations into economic and social development planning.

Resource type Publication

Topic category Environment

Reference date 2019·03·01

Citation
Barnes, D.K.A. Sands, C.J. & Smith, N. 2019. Ascension Island Natural Capital Assessment: Valuation of carbon storage, sequestration and social cost by benthos in Ascension Island’s EEZ. Natural Capital in the UK’s Overseas Territories Report Series – Supplementary Report (South Atlantic Region).  Contracted report to JNCC.

Lineage
Contracted report to JNCC as part of the 'Natural Capital in the Caribbean and South Atlantic Overseas Territories: Valuation, Vulnerability and Monitoring Change' project.

Responsible organisation
Communications, JNCC distributor

Limitations on public access No limitations

Use constraints Open, cite source of data

Metadata date 2020·08·10

Metadata point of contact
Communications, JNCC

Back to top