Sediments are an integral part of aquatic systems, the building block for natural habitats and an inherent
component of many ecosystem services. Sediments and their associated aquatic habitats – blue carbon
stocks – also play a vital role in sequestering and storing carbon.
One year ago, at the COP26 international climate meetings, Navigating a Changing Climate https://navclimate.org/ (in which PIANC is a partner) and SedNet https://sednet.org/news/, the European Sediment Network, launched their COP26 Sediment Management Pledge. The Pledge recognises climate change as an existential threat and sets out how sediment managers can contribute to both decarbonisation and strengthened climate-resilience. The Pledge recognises climate change as an existential threat and sets out how sediment managers can contribute to both decarbonisation and strengthened climate-resilience.
This webinar, part of a series of events being organised to mark one-year since the launch of the COP26
Pledge, will examine the development of a Blue Carbon Market in Australia to highlight the opportunities it
offers for waterborne transport infrastructure.
Following the presentation, after a question-and-answer session, there will be a wider panel discussion on
the opportunities such a market offers to the waterborne transport sector, and some of the outstanding
challenges, including the relevance of a such a market to other countries.
Speakers:
Dr William Glamore
Dr William Glamore is an Associate Professor at the Water Research Centre within UNSW Sydney. Dr Glamore is an internationally awarded expert in the fields of estuarine dynamics and intertidal restoration, including blue ecosystem. Dr Glamore has been restoring blue ecosystems for over 25 years and was awarded a Churchill Fellowship on International Coastal Wetland Restoration Practices in 2005. In 2021, Dr Glamore co-led the development of the Australian Commonwealth’s Blue Carbon Method, which has created a blue carbon economy in the region. Dr Glamore was awarded the Willem-De Paepe Award in 2008, was a founding member of PIANC’s YPCom, and was Chair of PIANC ANZ from 2017-2022.
Michelle Orr
Michelle is a water resources engineer and restoration practitioner with more than 25 years of experience in shoreline restoration planning and design, environmental compliance, and flood management. She has worked along the US Pacific and Gulf coasts, with particular expertise on the wetlands of San Francisco Bay. She led environmental and engineering services for the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration, the largest wetland restoration on the west coast of the United States. Michelle provides experience in beneficially reusing material dredged from ports and navigation channels to create wetlands, beaches and other shoreline habitats. She has been part of recent changes in San Francisco Bay that have made it easier to beneficially reuse dredged materials and test innovative, lower cost placement approaches.
Professor Nigel Pontee
Nigel has over 30 years’ experience in coastal geomorphology and management. He has contributed to the creation of over 1700ha of new wetland habitat in the UK and is currently working a several projects related to the carbon offsetting potential of marine habitats including the development of a carbon code for coastal saltmarshes and research relating to the carbon content or restored habitats. He is the Global Technology leader for Coastal Planning and Engineering in Jacobs and a Visiting Professor at the National Oceanography Centre in the UK.
